Effects of hydrolysis treatment on the structure and properties of semi-interpenetrating superabsorbent polymers

A semi-interpenetrating polymer network superabsorbent polymer based on sodium lignosulfonate-graft-poly(acrylic acid-acrylamide)/potassium dihydrogen phosphate and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA/SL-g-P[AA-AM]/KDP) was synthesized by using solution polymerization. The PVA/SL-g-P(AA-AM)/KDP was further hydrolyzed in NaOH solution. The structure, thermal stability, and morphologies of samples were examined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results of FTIR, TGA, and DSC showed that PVA interpenetration through SL-g-P(AA-AM)/KDP network has occurred, and PVA/SL-g-P(AA-AM)/KDP was successfully alkaline hydrolyzed. From the SEM images, the high porous and loose surface structure of polymers was formed after hydrolysis, which greatly increased the specific surface area. Samples after hydrolysis exhibited higher equilibrium swelling capacity (1963 g/g) compared to the nonhydrolyzed samples (866 g/g). The swelling kinetics of all samples well complied with the pseudo-second order swelling kinetics model. Simple hydrolysis treatment not only improved the swelling capacity of PVA/SL-g-P(AA-AM)/KDP but also induced an enhancement on its water retention performance, which made it potentially useful as a water retention agent in the revegetation of abandoned mines or slope wasteland.