Preparation and characterisation of acrylamide/maleic acid hydrogel

Acrylamide/maleic acid hydrogel, a superabsorbent polymer, was prepared by free radical polymerization in aqueous solution of acrylamide (AAm) and maleic acid (MA) : monomer and comonomer, respectively. Potassium persulfate and N,N,N’,N’-tetramethylethylenediamine were used as an initiator system. Also, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) and N,N’-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) were used as crosslinkers. Different compositions of acrylamide, maleic acid and crosslinkers were employed. Water swelling, equilibrium water content and swelling power of the hydrogel formed were determined. The result showed that the swelling in water at equilibrium of hydrogels was in the range of 8,420-10,300% and 3,160- 3,560%, equilibrium water content was in the range of 0.9880-0.9902 and 0.9630-0.9727 and swelling power was in the range of 84-103 and 31-36 using 1%EGDMA and 1%MBA as crosslinkers, respectively. The diffusion of water into hydrogel followed non-Fickian character based on swelling power.