Design and synthesis of superabsorbent polymers

A series of novel copolymer superabsorbents based on the monomers acrylamid e (AM), acrylic acid (AA), acrylonitrile, methacrylic acid, sodium acrylate (SA), and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) were prepared by copolymeriza tion using ammonium persulfate as an initiator and N,N-methylenebisacrylami de as a crosslinking agent. The experimental results of superabsorbent poly mers (SAPs) show that the absorbency in water and NaCl solutions is maximum for AM, SA, HEMA and AM, AA, SA combinations. The copolymers were characte rized by IR spectroscopy. The water retention of soil was also enhanced usi ng the above superabsorbents. Use of SAPs for the growth of the croton plan t was also investigated. (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 80: 2635-2639, 2001.