A NOVEL SEMIINTERPENETRATING NETWORKS SYSTEM AS AN ABSORBENT MATERIAL

A novel semi-interpenetrating networks (IPNs) system was developed in an attempt to investigate the feasibility of a polymer system as a bio degradable absorbent material. This system consisted of two chemically independent polymers. The first network consisted of sodium alginate which disintegrated by a natural erosive force. The other was a polyac rylic acid which provided a high swelling capacity to the polymer syst em. Swelling and DSC experiments were performed to characterize the ph ysical properties of the model polymer system. These showed the charac teristic swelling behaviors of absorbent materials. Fungi resistance t ests were conducted to observe the biodegradability of the model polym er system, suggesting that the model polymer system would be attacked by a soil microorganism which would cause disintegration by a natural erosive force.