Preparation and swelling characterization of polymeric hydrogel/clay composites containing acrylamide and investigation of their adsorption properties

In this study, it was aimed that synthesis of chemically crosslinked polymersby using acrylamide as monomer with 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonicacid as comonomer and bentonite for water-absorbent composite system,characterization and the investigation of adsorption properties of synthesizedpolymers. Chemically crosslinked acrylamide/2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid/bentonite composite copolymers were prepared by free radicalpolymerization in aqueous solution using ethylene glycol dimethacrylate and 1,4-butanediol dimethacrylate as crosslinkers. Ammonium persulphate as initiator andN,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine as accelerator were used in the reaction.Structural characterization of chemically crosslinked acrylamide/2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid/bentonite composite copolymers wasmade with Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis. Dynamicswelling tests were applied to chemically crosslinked acrylamide/2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid/bentonite composite copolymers at 25oC for swellingcharacterization. Parameters about swelling kinetics and diffusion mechanism werecalculated by using of the results of swelling studies.Lauths violet and uranium acetate (for uranyl ions) were selected as modelmolecules to investigate adsorption properties of chemically crosslinkedacrylamide/2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid/bentonite compositecopolymers. Adsorption properties were investigated by interacting of chemicallycrosslinked acrylamide/2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid copolymersand acrylamide/2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid/bentonite compositecopolymers samples with lauths violet and uranium acetate (for uranyl ions) untilequilibrium at 25oC. At the end of the experiments 22,2-69,1% lauths violet, and 9,1-29,9% uranyl ions adsorptions were determined.