Sains Malaysiana 40(7)(2011): 789–794

 

 Characterization and Absorbing Properties of Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch Filled Poly (Acrylic Acid–co–Acrylamide) Superabsorbent Polymer Composites

(Pencirian dan Sifat-sifat Penyerapan Komposit Polimer Penyerap Lampau Tandan Kosong

Kelapa Sawit Cangkukan Poli(Akrilik Asid-ko-Akrilamida))

 

Nor Erma Shuhadah Abdul Razak, Shahrir Hashim* & Abdul Razak Rahmat

Department of Polymer Engineering, Faculty of Chemical Engineering

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor Darul Takzim, Malaysia

 

Received: 23 October 2009 / Accepted: 5 August 2010

 

 

ABSTRACT

 

Oil palm empty fruit bunch graft poly (acrylic acid-co-acrylamide) superabsorbent composite (OPEFB-g-(PAA-co-PAM) SAPC) was synthesized by graft copolymerization of the acrylic acid (AA) and acrylamide (AM) comonomer onto OPEFB fibre using ammonium persulfate (APS) and N,N-methylene bisacarylamide (MBA) as an initiator and crosslinker, respectively. The absorbency in various chloride salt solutions indicated that the absorbency decreased with increasing ionic strength of the salt solutions. Moreover, the absorbency under load (AUL) of SAPC was investigated at various applied loading and results show that, AUL decreased with increasing applied loading. Infrared Spectroscopy (IR) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) were carried out to confirm the chemical structure and thermal properties of the synthesized superabsorbent, respectively.

 

Keywords: Absorbency under load; Graft copolymerization; OPEFB; superabsorbent composites; swelling behaviour

 

ABSTRAK

 

Komposit polimer penyerap lampau (SAPC) tandan kosong kelapa sawit cangkukan poli(akrilik asid-ko-akrilamida) (OPEFB-g-(PAA-co-PAM) SAPC) disintesis melalui pengkopolimeran cangkuk oleh asid akrilik(AA) dan akrilamida (AM) komonomer kepada gentian OPEFB menggunakan ammonium persulfat (APS) dan N,N-methyelene bisacarylamide (MBA) dengan masing-masing sebagai pemula dan pemaut silang. Kebolehserapan SAPC di dalam pelbagai jenis larutan garam dikaji dan keputusan menunjukkan bahawa kebolehserapan berkurang dengan pertambahan kepekatan ion. Disamping itu, kebolehserapan di bawah bebanan (AUL) dikaji pada pelbagai bebanan dan keputusan menunjukkan bahawa, AUL berkurang dengan pertambahan bebanan. Spektroskopi inframerah (IR) dan analisis termogravimetri (TGA) masing-masing digunakan untuk mengesahkan struktur kimia dan sifat terma SAPC.

 

Kata kunci: Kebolehserapan di bawah bebanan; komposit penyerap lampau; OPEFB; pengkopolimeran cangkuk; sifat pembengkakan

 

REFERENCES

 

Abd El-Mohdy, H.L. & Abd El-Rehim, H.A. 2008. Radiation synthesis of kappa-carrageenan/acrylamide graft copolymers as superabsorbents and their possible applications. Journal of Polymer Research 16: 63-72.

Buchholz, F. L. & Graham, A. T. 1998. Modern Superabsorbent Polymer Technology. New York: Wiley.

Castel, D., Richard, A. & Audebert, R. 1990. Swelling of anionic and cationic starch based superabsorbent in water and saline solution. Journal of Applied Polymer Science 39: 11-29.

Das, R.K., Basu, D. & Banerjee, A. 1999. Study of methyl-methacrylate-viscose fibre graft copolymerization and the effect of grafting on thermal properties. Journal of Applied Polymer Science 72: 135-140.

Demitri, C., Del Sole, R., Scalera, F., Sannino, A., Vasapollo, G., Maffezzoli, A., Ambrosio, L. & Nicolas, L. 2008. Novel superabsorbent cellulose-based hydrogels crosslinked with citric acid. Journal of Applied Polymer Science 110: 2453-2460.

Fanta, G.F. Burr, R.C. & Doane, W.M. 1979. Graft polymerization of acrylamide and 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane acid onto starch. Journal of Applied Polymer Science 24: 2015-2023.

Ibrahim, S.M., El Salmawi, K.M. & Zahran, A.H. 2007. Synthesis of crosslinked superabsorbent carboxymethyl cellulose/acrylamide hydrogels through electron-beam irradiation. Journal of Applied Polymer Science 104: 2003-2008.

Marandi, G.B., Esfandiari, K., Biranvand, F., Babapour, M., Sadeh, S. & Mahdavinia, G.R. 2008. pHsensitivity and swelling behavior of partially hydrolyzed formaldehyde–crosslinked poly(acrylamide) superabsorbent hydrogels. Journal of Applied Polymer Science 109: 1083-1092.

Pourjavadi, A., Barzegar, Sh. & Mahdavinia, G.R. 2006. MBA crosslinked Na-Alg/CMC as a smart full-polysaccharide superabsorbent hydrogels. Carbohydrate Polymers 66: 386.

Pourjavadi, A. & Ghasemzadeh, H. 2007. Carrageenan-g-poly(scrylamide)/poly(vinylsulfonic acid, sodium salt) as a novel semi-IPN hydrogel: Synthesis, characterization, and swelling behaviour. Polymer Engineering Science 47: 1388-1395.

Pourjavadi, A., Ghasemzadeh., H. & Soleyman, R. 2007. Synthesis, characterization, and swelling behaviour of alginate-g-poly(sodium acrylate)/kaolin superabsorbent hydrogel composites. Journal of Applied Polymer Science 105: 2631-2639.

Pourjavadi, A., Kurdtabar, M., Mahdavinia, G.R. & Hosseinzadeh, H. 2006. Synthesis and super-swelling behaviour of a novel protein based superabsorbent hydrogel. Polymer Bulletin 57: 813-824.

Ramazani-Harandi, M.J., Zohuriaan-Mehr, M.J., Yousefi, A.A., Ershad-Langroudi, A. & Kabiri, K. 2006. Rheological determination of the swollen gel strength of superabsorbent polymer hydrogels. Polymer Testing 25: 470-474.

Weaver, M.O., Montgomery, R.R., Miller, L.D., Sohns, V.E., Fanta, G.F. & Doane,W.M. 1977. A practical process for the preparation of super slurper, a starch based polymer with a large capacity to absorb water. Die Starke 29: 410-413.

 

*Corresponding author; email: shahrir@cheme.utm.my

 

 

 

previous