Synthesis and swelling properties of poly[acrylamide-co-(crotonic acid)] superabsorbents

Superabsorbent polymers of acrylamide (AAm)/crotonic acid (CA) were synthesized by foamed polymerization in an aqueous solution of AAm with CA as a comonomer, initiated by an initiator couple of ammonium persulfate and N,N,N′N′-tetramethylethylenediamine. A crosslinking agent N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide, a foaming agent sodium bicarbonate, and a foam stabilizer, a triblock copolymer of polyoxyethylene/polyoxypropylene/polyoxyethylene, were used in the polymerization. The influences of the relative contents of CA, crosslinking agent, and initiator, on the swelling properties of the superabsorbent polymer systems were examined. The superabsorbent polymer synthesized with an AAm/CA ratio of 98:2 by mole, 0.5 wt.% of N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide and 1 wt.% of ammonium persulfate at 250 rpm and 50 °C for 30 min of polymerization time produced the highest water absorption of 211 ± 9 times its dried weight and could absorb water up to 162 ± 4 g g−1 of the dry copolymer within 10 min. The electrochemical reaction for acrylamide-crotonic acid polymerization was investigated by cyclic voltammetry. The anodic current indicated that acrylamide acting as an electron donor whereas crotonic acid performed as an electron receiver, then providing the cathodic current. The diffusion of water into the superabsorbent polymer was non-Fickian (case II and anomalous). Acrylamide-crotonic acid superabsorbents containing various crosslinker concentrations had a water swelling in the range of 79-289 g g−1. The diffusion coefficients varied between 6.9 × 10−9 and 5.1 × 10−8 cm2 s−1. Adsorption of the basic dye by the superabsorbent was a monolayer evaluated by the Langmuir isotherm. The superabsorbents can thus be used to adsorb cationic dyes in textile industry.