Influence of grafting conditions on the properties of polyacrylamide-based cation-exchange cryogels grafted with 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid

The effects of grafting conditions on the properties of a novel cation-exchange cryogel by grafting of 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid (AMPSA) onto polyacrylamide-based cryogel (pAAm cryogel) using potassium diperiodatocuprate (Cu(III) solution) as initiator were investigated experimentally. The basic cryogels were saturated with the initiator solution followed by the solution of monomers to get the expected sulfo groups under various grafting conditions, such as concentrations of monomers and initiator, graft reaction time, graft temperature and the volume ratio of Cu(III) to NaOH. The results showed that these factors influenced the liquid dispersion behaviors and the flow resistance as well as the protein binding capacity of the grafted cryogels. Protein binding capacity increased with the increase of concentration of AMPSA and Cu(III), the graft temperature and the graft reaction time in a wide range under the present conditions. Compared with these factors, the volume ratio of Cu(III) to NaOH in the initiator solution in the considered situations had a relatively weaker influence on the cryogel microstructures and protein binding capacity. The maximum binding capacity of lysozyme reached 2.5 mg/mL cryogel in these grafted cryogels.