Performance characterization of γ-poly (glutamic acid) super absorbent polymer and its effect on soil water availability

ABSTRACT

A novel biodegradable super absorbent polymer (SAP) was synthesized by γ-poly (glutamic acid) (γ-PGA) and poly (ethylene glycol) with the units of glycidyl ether as chain ends (PEGGE). The resultant γ-PGA SAPs with different PEGGE contents were characterized and their effects on soil total available water (TAW) were investigated. The γ-PGA SAP was synthesized at 45 °C for 48 h when γ-PGA was 160 g L⁻¹ (pH = 4.9) and the minimum mass of PEGGE was 20% of the γ-PGA mass. When the PEGGE increased from 20% to 60%, the water absorption rate (WAR) of γ-PGA SAP in distilled water and 0.9% NaCl solution gradually decreased from 651.16 g g⁻¹ to 302.91 g g⁻¹ and from 44.83 g g⁻¹ to 32.9 g g⁻¹ respectively. The γ-PGA SAP with 40% PEGGE had the highest WAR after being reused six times. The field water capacity (FC) and TAW increased with the increasing γ-PGA SAP content; however, when the same amount of γ-PGA SAP was added to the soil, the FC and TAW in the soil gradually decreased with the increasing PEGGE in the γ-PGA SAP. The γ-PGA SAP with a proportion of 0.15% in the soil presented the largest soil WAR.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Super absorbent polymer
• γ-poly (glutamic acid)
• water absorption rate
• soil water retention curve
• total available water

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

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Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 42077011], and the Natural Science Basic Research Plan in Shaanxi Province of China [grant number 2018JM5051].