SWELLING BEHAVIOR OF AMPHOLYTIC GELS PREPARED BY GAMMA-IRRADIATION

Heterogeneous ampholytic gels were prepared by two-step gamma-irradiat ion of aqueous solutions of poly(vinyl alcohol)s having sulfonate and quaternary ammonium groups, respectively. A reference gel was prepared by one-step irradiation. The heterogeneous gels turned out to swell t o lesser degrees with increasing ionic strength of the immersing solut ion than the reference gel. However, the ion-specific swelling and des welling behavior, which had been found for the reference gel, was also observed for the present heterogeneous gel.