Abstract
A novel chitosan-g-poly (acrylic acid)/kaolin (CTS-g-PAA/kaolin) superabsorbent composite was prepared by graft polymerization among chitosan (CTS), acrylic acid (AA) and kaolin in aqueous solution. Effects of polymerization variables, including the content of the weight ratio of crosslinker, initiator, kaolin and CTS to AA, on water absorbency were studied. The results from FT-IR spectra showed that CTS and kaolin participate in graft polymerization reaction with AA. Results indicated that the superabsorbent composite possessed excellent absorbency properties, using 0.3 % K 2 S 2 O 8 as initiator and 0.05 % N, N-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) as crosslinking agent, when the neutralization degree of AA was 70 %, and the ratio of CTS and kaolin to AA was 0.13 and 0.13, respectively.
Highlights
Superabsorbent composite is a novel polymer materials with high absorbency and good water retention properties, and has been applied in many areas such as health care, water-saving agriculture, materials industries and so on (Chou, 2003, pp.690-691)
A novel chitosan-g-poly/kaolin (CTS-g-polyacrylic acid (PAA)/kaolin) superabsorbent composite was prepared by graft polymerization among chitosan (CTS), acrylic acid (AA) and kaolin in aqueous solution
The results from FT-IR spectra showed that CTS and kaolin participate in graft polymerization reaction with AA
Summary
Superabsorbent composite is a novel polymer materials with high absorbency and good water retention properties, and has been applied in many areas such as health care, water-saving agriculture, materials industries and so on (Chou, 2003, pp.690691). Preparation of superabsorbent composite by organic-inorganic hybrid methods has attracted extensive attentions (Xie, 2009, pp.129132; Wang, 2009, pp.731-737), and graft polymerization among inorganic clay minerals and vinyl monomers possessed several advantages such as ameliorating water absorption of resins, enhancing gel strength, lowering production costs and so on (Wang, 2006, pp.). Kaolin belongs to hydrophilic layered silicate mineral, the link between crystal layers is very weak and water or other polar molecules enters crystal layer. It has strong water absorption, and as its particle surface had many hydroxyl groups and active sites, it could interact with organic polymers to form organic/inorganic hybrid network structure which could efficaciously enhance water absorbency rate and gel strength after absorption. The synthesis of chitosan-g-acrylic acid/kaolin (CTS-g-PAA/Kaolin) superabsorbent composite by in situ polymerization was investigated in the present paper
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