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Synthesis, swelling behaviors, and slow‐release characteristics of a guar gum‐ g ‐poly(sodium acrylate)/sodium humate superabsorbent
Author(s) -
Wang Wenbo,
Wang Aiqin
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.29620
Subject(s) - superabsorbent polymer , ammonium persulfate , sodium polyacrylate , guar gum , distilled water , acrylic acid , thermogravimetric analysis , swelling capacity , swelling , nuclear chemistry , acrylate , absorption of water , chemistry , materials science , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , polymer chemistry , polymerization , chemical engineering , polymer , copolymer , raw material , organic chemistry , composite material , chromatography , biochemistry , engineering
Superabsorbents used in agricultural and ecological projects with low‐cost, slow‐release fertilizers and environmentally friendly characteristics have been extensively studied. The use of a natural polymer as the matrix and then further polymerization with some functional material has become the preferred method. In this work, with natural guar gum (GG), partially neutralized acrylic acid, and sodium humate (SH) as the raw materials, ammonium persulfate as the initiator, and N,N ′‐methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) as the crosslinker, GG‐ g ‐poly(sodium acrylate) (PNaA)/SH superabsorbents were synthesized through a solution polymerization reaction and were characterized with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The effects of the SH content and MBA concentration on the water absorbency were investigated. The results showed that the introduction of SH into the GG‐ g ‐PNaA system could improve the water absorbency, swelling rate, pH‐resistant property, and reswelling capability, and the superabsorbent containing 15 wt % SH had the highest water absorbency of 532 g/g of sample in distilled water and 62 g/g of sample in a 0.9 wt % NaCl solution. The slow release in water and water retention in sandy soil tests revealed that the superabsorbent could act as a fertilizer as well as an effective water‐saving material for agricultural applications. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009