Superabsorbent polymeric materials. XI. Effect of nonionic monomers on the swelling behavior of crosslinked poly(sodium acrylate‐co‐nonionic monomers) in aqueous salt solutions

Abstract

A series of xerogels based on sodium acrylate, nonionic monomers such as 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (PEGMA), and N,NЈ-methylene bisacrylamide were prepared by inverse suspension polymerization. The results indicate that the water absorbencies for these two gel series were effectively improved by the addition of a small amount of nonionic monomer (HEMA or PEGMA). The initial absorption rates in deionized water were faster for the PEGMA gels than for the HEMA gels. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the spherical particle size was smaller for the PEGMA gels than for the HEMA gels. In addition, the water absorbency of the gels in various salt solutions decreased with increasing ionic strength, especially for the multivalent salt solutions.

Swelling and antibacterial properties for the superabsorbent hydrogels containing silver nanoparticles

“…2,3 The superabsorbent polymeric materials were reported in our previous reports. [4][5][6][7][8][9][10] The monomer used was acrylic acid (AA) with degree of neutralization around 90%.…”

Fabrication of a fast‐swelling superabsorbent resin by inverse suspension polymerization

“…In previous studies, nonionic surfactants or anion and nonionic surfactants pairs with suitable hydrophile–lipophile balance values have usually been chosen for the stabilizer of inverse suspension polymerization. The synthesized SAPs have usually been particles consisting of beads of various sizes bonded together . In our study, novel SAP particles were fabricated with an anionic–nonionic surfactant (DNS‐1035) as the stabilizer in the inverse suspension polymerization, and the morphologies are shown in Figure (a–c).…”

“…Meanwhile, the particle size can be regulated with regulation of the stabilizers, agitating rate, and monomer/stabilizer ratio . Some researchers reported that their prepared SAPs with nonionic surfactants or composites of nonionic surfactants and anionic surfactants as stabilizers had excellent water absorptions, fast Q t s, and good resistance to NaCl solutions . For example, Choudhary reported that SAPs with nonionic surfactants as the stabilizer showed good absorbency both in water and NaCl solutions and under load.…”

“…Moreover, an SAP incorporating graphene oxide (GO) and halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) was synthesized via the inverse suspension polymerization method, and it possessed good water absorption and WR abilities because of the synergistic effect of the HNTs and GO . However, these fabricated SAPs with nonionic surfactants as the stabilizer were mainly particles consisting of beads of various sizes bonded together . The beads in the particles tended to separate during the water swelling process because of weak cohesive forces.…”

Synthesis and characterization of functionalized acrylic‐acrylamide‐based superabsorbent gels

“…Superabsorbents are slightly crosslinked hydrophilic polymers with three‐dimensional structures that can absorb and retain large amount of water or other biological fluids 1–3. Because of their excellence in water absorbency compared with traditional water absorbing materials, superabsorbents have been widely used in many fields, such as medical treatment, sanitation, water treatment, horticulture, agriculture, and forestry 4–6. Since the first superabsorbent hydrogel was reported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1961,7 tremendous effort has been made to improve their swelling capability, gel strength, and absorption rate 8, 9.…”