Synthesis and super-swelling behavior of a novel low salt-sensitive protein-based superabsorbent hydrogel: collagen-g-poly(AMPS)

摘要

Superabsorbent polymers are obtained by the graftcopolymerization of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesul- fonic acid (AMPS)monomer onto collagen, using ammonium persulfate as a free radical initiator in the presence of methylene bisacrylamide as a crosslinker.Infrared spectroscopy and TGA thermal analysis were carried out toconfirm the chemical structure of the hydrogel. Moreover, morphologyof the samples was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).The effect of reaction variables on swelling capacity was investigatedto achieve a hydrogel with improved water absorbency. Under theoptimized conditions concluded, maximum capacity of swelling indistilled water was found to be 268 g/g. The swelling ratio invarious salt solutions was investigated in detail. Since thishydrogel exhibited a very high absorptivity in saline, it may bereferred to as a low salt-sensitive superabsorbent. Thecollagen-g-AMPS hydrogel also showed cation exchange properties. Theswelling kinetics of the synthesized hydrogels with various particlesizes was also preliminarily investigated.