Manufacturing or Formation of Polyacrylamide Hydrogel

Experimental analysis shows the effect of pH and ionic strength shows that hydrogels respond to change in environment during swelling. The swelling ratio increases with increase in pH and with increase in ionic strength and the swelling decreases as electrostatic attraction increases between the chains. Hydrogels prepared according to various proportions of the monomers, acrylamide and acrylic acid have different swelling properties. The swelling ratios of various batches largely depends on the ratio of monomers taken in the reaction mixture. As per observations it’s clear that as the AAm/AAc ratio increase the swelling ratio also increase up to 70/30 beyond that swelling reduce. The swelling ratio again increase at 50/50 then decrease. The optimum value for AAm/AAc will be 70/30 have maximum swelling ratio. Swelling measurements of the powdered hydrogel indicated the absorption of considerably high amount of water. A highly viscous gel was formed upon the addition of initiator, potassium persulfate in the reaction mixture. Cross-linking is carried out between two monomers AAm and AAc. For preparing 70/30 monomer ratio, amount of MBA was increased to 0.06, 0.07 and 0.08 g and the swelling ratios. The swelling ratio of hydrogel at various time of hrs. in which the hydrogel put in water from time 2-20 hrs. From the table it’s clear that the swelling ratio increase with increase the time. The optimum time for maximum swelling ratio is between 18-22 hrs. The copolymer with monomer ratio 70/30 of acrylamide and acrylic acid was synthesized by maintaining reaction temperatures of 50 ᵒC, 60 ᵒC and 70 ᵒC. 0.5 gm of each sample were put in 500 mL distilled water for a period of 24 hours. Optimum value of temperature is 60 ᵒC.