Dye Sorption and Water Uptake Properties of Crosslinked Acrylamide/Sodium Methacrylate Copolymers and Semi-Interpenetrating Polymer Networks Composed of PEG

Abstract

A series of novel semi-interpenetrating polymer networks hydrogels composed of poly(ethylene glycol) and random copolymer of acrylamide/sodium methacrylate were prepared by polymerization of aqueous solution of acrylamide, sodium methacrylate using ammonium persulphate/N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine as a redox-initiating pair in the presence of poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(ethylene glycol)diacrylate as crosslinker. Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy was used to identify the presence of different repeating units in the semi IPNs. Water uptake and dye-sorption properties of acrylamide/sodium methacrylate hydrogels and acrylamide/sodium methacrylate/poly(ethylene glycol) semi IPNs were investigated as a function of chemical composition of the hydrogels. Cationic dye, Janus Green B have been used in sorption studies as a model molecule. This study has given the quantitative information on the swelling and sorption characteristic of acrylamide/sodium methacrylate hydrogels and acrylamide/sodium methacrylate/poly(ethylene glycol) semi IPNs in many potential applications.

Keywords:

• acrylamide
• adsorption
• hydrogel
• interpenetrating polymer networks
• swelling

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This work was supported by Adnan Menderes University Research Fund, under project number FEF 08 034.