Swelling behavior of acrylamide and sodium acrylate copolymer hydrogel in aqueous solutions of copper (II) chloride with amino acids additives

Abstract

Swelling of acrylamide and sodium acrylate copolymer polyelectrolyte hydrogel in aqueous Cu(II) chloride solutions with additives of proteinogenic amino acids glycine and L-histidine has been studied. Research relevance is due to the application of such systems in agrochemical products that are supposed to have high water absorption capacity in the presence of microelements ions and amino acids, which are used to prevent nutritional deficiency and make plants resistant to adverse weather conditions and diseases. Gravimetry, atomic absorption spectrometry, FTIR ATR spectroscopy and molecular absorption spectrophotometry were used. The impact of acidity (pH 3, 5 and 7) of aqueous Cu(II) chloride solutions with amino acids additives on the hydrogel swelling degree and Cu(II) ions absorption has been determined. The reasons for changes in the hydrogel swelling degree in aqueous Cu(II) chloride solutions in presence of glycine and L-histidine have been found. The main product of the crosslinked copolymer interaction with the components of 0.01 M aqueous Cu(II) chloride solution with the addition of 0.04 M glycine or L-histidine at pH 3 has been assumed to be a mixed Cu(II) ions complex with functional groups of both copolymer and amino acids.