Water Absorbency Properties of OPEFB Filled Hydrogels Composites

Abstract

For slow release fertilizer application, oil palm empty fruit bunch-grafted-poly (acrylic acid-co-acrylamide) [OPEFB-g-P(AA-co-AAm)] hydrogel composites were synthesized via two techniques; Two Steps (T1) and in-situ (T2). Scanning electron microscopy of hydrogel composite T1 has higher surface area and holes while hydrogel T2 displays smoother and tighter surface. Water absorbency capacity of hydrogel T1 is 42.90 gram/gram (g/g) and hydrogel T2 is 39.96 g/g. WAC of hydrogel T2 has much better re-swelling ability compared to T1 after it went through five cycles of drying-swelling-drying process. Hence, T2 has produced a hydrogel composite that is reusable with great morphology properties.