Synthesis and Properties of Cellulose-based Superabsorbent Hydrogel by a New Crosslinker

Cellulose-based superabsorbent hydrogel (SAH) has been successfully prepared by the grafting method with cellulose and sodium acrylate as well as aluminum hydroxide as a novel crosslinker. The factors influencing water absorption such as the neutralization degree of acrylic acid (AA), the amount of initiator ammonium persulfate (APS) and crosslinker, and the proportion of cellulose to AA were investigated. The chemical structure and thermal behavior of the SAH were analyzed by fourier-transform infrared spectrometry, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, and thermal gravimetry, respectively. Results showed that the water absorbency of the SAH in distilled water and 0.9 wt% NaCl solution reached 922 and 118 g/g when the mass ratio of cellulose to AA, APS to AA, Al(OH) to AA, and the neutralization degree of AA was 39 wt%, 0.67 wt%, 0.89 %, and 76 %, respectively. Under the same condition, the hydrogel synthesized by traditional crosslinker N,N-methylenebisacrylamide was only 530 and 84 g/g in distilled water and 0.9 wt% NaCl solution, respectively. The mechanism of polymerization reaction was analyzed. And the cost and feasibility for the mass-producing the hydrogel were analyzed.