Synthesis and Heavy-Metal Sorption Studies of N,N-Dimethylacrylamide-Based Hydrogels.

Ayatzhan Akhmetzhan,Zhanar Kuanyshova,Nurgeldi Abeu,Zhexenbek Toktarbay,Ayezkhan Tashenov,Nurgul Amangeldi,Sotirios Nik Longinos,Nurbala Myrzakhmetova,Zhanar Ospanova

doi:10.3390/polym13183084

Abstract

In this work, a hydrogel system was produced via radical polymerization of N,N-dimethylacrylamide and 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid in the presence of N,N-methylene-bis-acrylamide as a crosslinker and ammonium persulfate as an initiator. Parameters that impact the conversion of copolymerization (such as initial concentration of monomers, temperature, initiator dose, and time) were studied. The swelling degree of the hydrogel was investigated with the addition of a crosslinker and initiator at different pH levels. A hydrogel with high conversion and high swelling degree was selected to investigate their ability for adsorption of Pb(II) ions from solutions. Adsorption behavior of Pb(II) ions in a hydrogel was examined as a function of reaction time and concentration of lead ions from a solution of Pb(II) ions.

Highlights

In recent years, hydrogels have received broad interest due their unique properties, such as elasticity and swelling
Hydrogels produced from crosslinked polymers have been widely used in agriculture [1], gene delivery [2], drug delivery [3,4,5], thermo sensitive materials [6], pharmaceutical [7], food industry [8], diagnostics [9], wound dressing [10], contact lenses [11], etc
Poly(acrylamide)-based hydrogel has been applied in many areas including dye removal [12], heavy-metal removal [13], film making [14], tissue engineering [15], smart polymers [16], and linear polymers [17]

Summary

Introduction

Hydrogels have received broad interest due their unique properties, such as elasticity and swelling. Poly(acrylamide)-based hydrogel has been applied in many areas including dye removal [12], heavy-metal removal [13], film making [14], tissue engineering [15], smart polymers [16], and linear polymers [17]. An N,N-dimethylacrylamide (DMAA) is an N-substituted dimethyl acrylamide monomer that produces such hydrogels as crosslinked by various crosslinkers. Zaborina et al prepared poly(DMAA) homopolymers in frozen media using red-ox initiator and a small number of crosslinkers, which resulted in crosslinked high-swelling cryogels [18]. In combination with other monomers, DMAA is applied to produce a wide variety of materials, which include the application of hydrogel to protect seeds in soils and enhance their biocompatibility in medical fields [19]. DMAA can be used to form intermolecular complexes with polyelectrolytes, such as polyacrylic acid, which is applied as a smart material with changes of pH [20]

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