Investigation of water uptake behavior of superabsorbent polymers composed of N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone and partially neutralized acrylic acid

Fast-swelling micrometer sized superabsorbents were synthesized through a rapid solution polymerization of n-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (NVP) and partially neutralized acrylic acid (PNAAc) under normal atmospheric conditions using N,N'-methylene bisacrylamide (MB) as crosslinker and sodium bicarbonate as porogen. The effect of various parameters such as crosslinker concentration, degree of neutralization of monomer acid, concentration of initiator have been evaluated. Water retention capacity of superabsorbents under varying loads was also examined. The drying behavior of polymers at 37 degrees C was also studied. The gels showed sharp volume transition in solutions of divalent metal ions. The superabsorbents were also characterized by FTIR and TGA.