Functionalization of a polyaspartamide with glycidyl methacrylate: A useful method to prepare hydrogels through gamma irradiation

alpha,beta-Poly(N-2-hydroxyethyl)-D1-aspartamide (PHEA) was derivatized wit h glycidyl methacrylate (GMA). Aqueous solutions of the obtained copolymer PHEA-GMA (PHG) were irradiated by gamma rays with a dose rate of 0.5 KGy/h and at zero degrees C in the presence or in the absence of N,N'-methylenebi sacrylamide (BIS). New hydrogel systems were obtained and characterized by FT-IR analyses and swelling measurements in aqueous medium at different pH values.