Acrylamide/2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid and associated sodium salt superabsorbent copolymer nanocomposites with mica as fire retardants

Acrylamide (AM) and 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS-H⁺) or its sodium salt (AMPS-Na⁺) were copolymerised by free-radical crosslinking polymerization to obtain poly(AM-co-AMPS-H⁺) and poly(AM-co-AMPS-Na⁺) superabsorbent polymers (SAPs). A maximum water absorbency in deionised water of 1200 g g⁻¹ was achieved for poly(AM-co-AMPS-Na⁺) at a 85% mol of AMPS-Na⁺. The inclusion of mica at 5-30% (w w⁻¹) into the preparation of poly(AM-co-AMPS-Na⁺) SAP leads to an intercalated structure, as detected by XRD and TEM analyses. Poly(AM-co-AMPS-Na⁺)/30% (w w⁻¹) mica SAP nanocomposite showed a tap water absorbency of 593 g g⁻¹ with a better thermal stability, compared to the pure SAP. Cone calorimetric analyses revealed that the wood specimens coated with the prepared poly(AM-co-AMPS-Na⁺) SAP or its 30% (w w⁻¹) mica nanocomposite provided excellent protection in delaying the ignition time after exposure to an open flame when compared to that observed with the uncoated specimen. The maximum reduction in the peak heat release rate and the greatest extension of time at peak heat release rate were observed with the nanocomposite-coated surface, but the total heat release rate was increased. The delayed burning mechanism is brought by the intercalating structure of mica in the SAP nanocomposites, which provided a better shielding effect against external heat sources, and the capability of the SAP nanocomposite in holding a large amount of water.     

Study on superabsorbent composite. III. Swelling behaviors of polyacrylamide/attapulgite composite based on acidified attapulgite and organo-attapulgite

A novel kind of salt-resistant superabsorbent composite, polyacrylamide/attapulgite, from acrylamide (AM) and attapulgite (APT) was prepared by free-radical aqueous polymerization, using N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) as a crosslinker and ammonium persulfate (APS) as an initiator. The organification of APT with hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (HDTMABr) was proved by FTIR and XRD. The effects of acidified APT (H⁺-APT), organo-APT (HDTMABr-APT) and the content of APT in the superabsorbent composite on the water absorbency and the initial swelling rate for the superabsorbent composite in distilled water and in various saline solutions were studied. The effects of incorporated HDTMABr-APT and H⁺-APT on the reswelling ability of the superabsorbent composites were investigated. The results indicate that the incorporation of APT had remarkable influence on the improvement of water absorbency and swelling rate of the composites. Comparing with the composite doped with H⁺-APT, the water absorbency for the composite doped with 10 wt% HDTMABr-APT was enhanced from 2140 g g⁻¹ to 2800 g g⁻¹ in distilled water and from 100 g g⁻¹ to 121 g g⁻¹ in 0.9 wt% NaCl solution, respectively. The water absorbency of the composites in various saline solutions decreased with the increasing concentration, especially for the multivalent cations. In addition, the reswelling ability of the superabsorbent composites is also improved evidently by adding a small amount of HDTMABr-APT into the composite, comparing with that of incorporated with H⁺-APT.     

Cation exchange membranes as solid solutions

The ion exchange equilibrium between KCl and SrCl₂ solutions and the cation selective membrane CR61 AZL386 has been examined. Equilibrium isotherms are measured for membrane—electrolyte equilibria for two total concentrations of Cl^?in the electrolyte solution and at three different temperatures. The results show that Sr²⁺ is strongly preferred to K⁺ in the membrane. Selectivity increases with temperature in the range 10°C to 40°C. It decreases with increasing total concentration from 0.01 N to 0.03 N. Electrolyte absorption in the membrane was not detected for the experimental conditions used. Contents of water in the membrane is constant for external salt concentrations between 3 x 10^?8N and 3 x 10^?2N. The difference in water content between the pure K form and the pure Sr form is approximately 5%.A thermodynamic treatment of ion exchange is presented. The thermodynamic equilibrium constant for the exchange reaction 2 KR + SrCl₂ = SrR₂+ 2 KCl has been determined by two different integration procedures, R being an ion exchange site in the membrane. The variations of the thermodynamic functions ΔG_mix, ΔH_mix and ΔS_mix are calculated from experimental data for an assumed mixing process of membranes in the pure forms.Activity coefficients for the membrane components are calculated from experimental data. Results are compared to two lattice models. A model with a random distribution of K⁺, Sr²⁺ and a vacant site seems preferred at low concentration of Sr²⁺. At high concentrations, Sr²⁺ and the vacant site associate.     

Swelling behaviors of polyelectrolyte hydrogels containing sulfonate groups

Series of maleate monoester and diester monomers based on poly(ethylene glycol) monomethyl ether (MPEG) were copolymerized using the ionizable 2‐acrylamido‐2–methyl propane sulfonic acid (AMPS) via different dose rate of electron‐beam irradiation (40–150 kGy). The crosslinking of the copolymers were carried out in aqueous acidic solutions at pH 1 or in the presence of 1% N,N‐methylene bisacrylamide (MBA) as crosslinking agent. The final equilibrium water content and swelling capacities for the prepared hydrogels were determined in aqueous solutions at pH 1, 6.8, and 12 and in aqueous salt solutions at 298 K. Swelling equilibria for prepared hydrogels were determined in different molar salt solutions of NaCl, KCl, CaCl₂, Na₂SO₄, K₂SO₄, and CaSO₄. The swelling ratios of gels in pure water and in the salt solutions were found to depend on the counterion species in the increasing sequence of Ca²⁺, Na⁺ and K⁺. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Acrylamide–itaconic acid superabsorbent polymers and superabsorbent polymer/mica nanocomposites

Superabsorbent polymer acrylamide (AM)/itaconic acid (IA) and its nanocomposite were synthesized by redox polymerization in an aqueous solution of both monomers with mica used as an inorganic additive. The influences of IA concentration, mica content, and crosslinker concentration on the water absorption and physical properties of the superabsorbent polymer and its nanocomposite were examined. Water absorbency in artificial urine by the synthesized copolymers, and the gel strength of the superabsorbent copolymers and their nanocomposites, were tested with loads of 0.28 or 0.70 psi. Transmission electron micrographs and X‐ray diffraction confirmed that the polymer chains were successfully intercalated into the silicate layers in the mica. The water absorbency and the artificial urine absorbency of the composite with an AM‐to‐IA mole ratio of 95:5, 0.2% mol N‐MBA, and 5% w/w mica were 748 ± 5 and 76 ± 2 g g^?1, respectively, whilst the neat copolymer achieved only 640 ± 7 and 72 ± 2 g g^?1 in water and artificial urine, respectively. The viscoelastic behavior suggested that the swollen gel of the nanocomposites exhibited mechanical stability and elasticity. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Preparation,swelling behaviors and application of polyacrylamide/attapulgite superabsorbent composites

A series of superabsorbent composites, polyacrylamide/attapulgite (PAMA), were prepared from acrylamide (AM) and attapulgite micropowder in aqueous solution, using N,N′‐methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) as a crosslinker and ammonium persulfate (APS) as an initiator and then saponified with sodium hydroxide solution. This paper focuses on swelling behaviors of the PAMA superabsorbent composites in various saline solutions. The results indicate that saline solutions can weaken the swelling abilities of the PAMA compsites greatly. Water absorbency of the PAMA composites with 20 and 40 wt% attapulgite in aqueous chloride salt solutions has the following order: Li⁺ = Na⁺ = K⁺, Mg²⁺ > Ca²⁺ = Ba²⁺ all through the range of concentration investigated. However, swelling properties of the composites are complicated in CuCl_2(aq), AlCl_3(aq) and FeCl_3(aq) solutions and are related to saline solutions concentration. The deswelling behavior of PAMA composites is more obvious in univalent chloride salt solutions than in divalent and trivalent ones. The influence of kind and valence of anions on swelling ability of the composites is limited and almost the same. Moreover, reswelling capability, practical water retention ability in sand soil of the composites and the effect of pH on water absorbency of the PAMA composites were investigated. The PAMA composite shows good water retention and reswelling ability in sand soil, and may be used as a recyclable water‐managing material for the renewal of arid and desert environment. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Converting water absorbent polymer to alcohol absorbent polymer

In this paper, a commercial water absorbent polymer based on poly (sodium acrylate) (PAANa) was converted to an alcohol absorbent polymer. PAANa collapses in alcoholic swelling media such as ethanol and methanol. In the present paper, first, a full interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) gel was prepared through immersing PAANa hydrogel in a solution containing 2‐acrylamido2‐methyl propane sulfonic acid (AMPS), polyethylene glycol dimetahcrylate and ammonium persulfate. The second network was formed in hydrated PAANa through heating. It was synthesized in two conditions by chemical crosslinker and crosslinker‐free. The IPN was acid treated to investigate the effect of removing Na⁺ on alcohol absorbency. The synthesized IPN gels have the ability of absorbing up to 21 and 39 g/g ethanol and methanol, respectively. The samples which were synthesized using the chemical crosslinker in the second stage had more alcohol absorbency in comparison with the crosslinker‐free samples. Unexpectedly, acid treatment caused a decrease in alcohol absorbency. The IPN gels were characterized through thermogravimetric analyses (TGA) and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA). The DMTA results confirmed the IPN structure of the gels, two distinctive peaks, which can be attributed to PAANa, and poly (AMPS) was observed in tan delta figures. TGA thermograms demonstrated that IPN had lower thermal stability in comparison with the initial PAANa, which can be attributed to higher vulnerability of SO₃H group for degradation that reduced initial decomposition temperature. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fibre-optic potassium ion sensors based on a neutral ionophore and a novel lipophilic anionic dye

A novel lipophilic anionic dye, N-2,4-dinitro-6-octyloxyphenyl-2′,4′-dinitro-6′-trifluoromethylphenylamine (LAD), was synthesized. On deprotonation at neutral Ph it forms anions and brings about a change in the absorption spectrum in the visible region. This anionic dye was incorporated into a poly(vinyl chloride) matrix membrane with dibenzo-18-crown-6 (DB18C6) or valinomycin, which are K⁺-selective neutral ionophores. An optical K⁺ sensor was prepared using the polymeric membrane set 1 mm apart from the tip of a bifurcated optical fibre with a cylindrical plastic support. This sensor could detect a wide range of K⁺ concentrations (10^?6?1 M K⁺ for the DB18C6-based sensor, 10^?8?10^?2 M K⁺ for the valinomycin-based sensor) at Ph 7.0 by measuring the absorbance change at 513 nm. The factors that influence the response sensitivity of the sensor are discussed theoretically.     

钾离子掺杂对石墨型氮化碳光催化剂能带结构及光催化性能的影响

以双氰胺和氢氧化钾为原料制备了能带可控的钾离子掺杂石墨型氮化碳(g-C3N4)光催化剂,并与碱处理的g-C3N4及g-C3N4/KOH复合催化剂进行了对比。采用X射线衍射(XRD)光谱、紫外-可见(UV-Vis)光谱、傅里叶变换红外(FTIR)光谱、N2吸附、电感耦合等离子体-原子发射光谱(ICP-AES)、荧光(PL)光谱、X 光电子能谱(XPS)等分析手段对制备的催化剂进行了表征。结果表明,钾离子含量对氮化碳催化剂的价带及导带位置有显著影响。此外,钾离子的引入抑制了氮化碳晶粒的生长,提高了氮化碳的比表面积以及对可见光的吸收,降低了光生电子-空穴对的复合几率。以染料罗丹明B的降解为探针反应系统研究了钾离子掺杂对g-C3N4在可见光下催化性能的影响,研究了光催化反应机理。结果表明,钾离子掺杂后氮化碳的光催化性能显著提高。制备的钾离子掺杂氮化碳催化剂表现出良好的结构及催化稳定性。     

Formation of Fe2+-phenanthroline complexes in the volume of hydrogel

The interaction of weakly crosslinked gels of poly(methacrylic acid) and a nonionic gel based on N-vinylcaprolactam and N-vinylimidazole with Fe²⁺ ions in aqueous solutions has been studied. A comparative study of the conformational state and of the absorption ability of the gels for their interaction with iron and ferroin ions has been performed. It has been shown that Fe²⁺ ions are efficiently absorbed by both poly(methacrylic acid) gels and the gels based on N-vinylcaprolactam and N-vinylimidazole. In this case, the poly(methacrylic acid) gels undergo contraction, while nonionic gels derived from N-vinylcaprolactam and N-vinylimidazole experience swelling. During the interaction of gels containing immobilized Fe²⁺ ions with phenanthroline, the efficient absorption of the complexon and the formation of Fe²⁺-phenanthroline complexes in the gel volume take place, thus inducing the contraction of gels. The interaction of poly(methacrylic acid) gels with ferroin is accompanied by the absorption of the complex, the formation of the tertiary complexes, and the collapse of the gel. The efficiency of formation of tertiary complexes in the gel volume is independent of their preparation procedure.     

Highly absorbable lyocell fiber spun from celluloses/hydrolyzed starch-g-PAN solution in NMMO monohydrate

To improve the absorption properties of lyocell fiber, a hydrolyzed starch-grafted-polyacrylonitrile (HSPAN) superabsorbent whose powder size was less than 100 μm was added to the cellulose solution in N-methyl morpholine N-oxide (NMMO) monohydrate. The lyocell fiber was prepared by dry jet-wet spinning of the solution. To begin with HSPAN whose water-absorbency was 325 g/g (water/fiber) was prepared by hydrolysis of the copolymer in which acrylonitrile (AN) monomer was grafted onto the starch. The introduction of HSPAN led to a notable improvement of absorbency and absorption rate of lyocell fiber for water. The maximum water-absorbency of the fibers containing HSPAN 2 and 5 wt% was as high as 4.55 and 8.21 g/g, respectively. These values are comparable with 1.94 g/g for unmodified lyocell fiber. SEM and polarizing optical microscope results confirmed that HSPAN remained within the lyocell fiber at both wet and dry states. With increasing HSPAN content, however, the mechanical properties of lyocell fibers were decreased. Thus, the optimum HSPAN content may give a good combination of absorption and mechanical properties.     

Preparation of composites and nanocomposites based on bentonite and poly(sodium acrylate). Effect of amount of bentonite on the swelling behaviour

A series of composite and nanocomposite hydrogels were synthesized by copolymerization reaction of partially neutralized acrylic acid (SA) on bentonite micropowder (BT) using N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) as a crosslinker and potassium persulfate (I) as an initiator in aqueous solution. The influences of Na⁺-BT, organoBT (O-BT), and the content of the BT in the copolymeric gels on the swelling behaviour in deionized water and saline solution (0.2 wt.% NaCl_(aq)) were investigated. Results showed that the equilibrium swelling (W_∞) was decreased by adding a small amount of the BT, however, at higher BT contents, the W_∞ increased with the increase of the amount of clay. It was found that a concentration of 14 wt.% Na⁺-BT gave the best results absorption (955 g/g). Moreover, the amount of swelling for these absorbents in saline solution was smaller than that in deionized water. These hydrogels were characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Finally, the thermogravimetric analysis indicated that introduction of clay to the polymer network resulted in an increase in thermal stability.     

New generation of functionalized bipyrazolic tripods: synthesis and study of their coordination properties towards metal cations

A simple and easily synthesis of new generation of N-donor bipyrazolic tripods by coupling of functionalized pyrazole derivatives and an appropriate primary amine derivative via condensation or nucleophilic substitution reaction is presented. The complexation capacity of these compounds towards bivalent metal ions (Hg²⁺, Cu²⁺, Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺) and alkaline metal ions (Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺) were investigated using the liquid–liquid extraction process. The percentage limits of extraction were determined by atomic absorption measurements.     

Synthesis and characterization of a novel controlled release nitrogen-phosphorus fertilizer hybrid nanocomposite based on banana peel cellulose and layered double hydroxides nanosheets

In the present study, a novel environment-friendly hybrid nanocomposite of Banana Peel Cellulose-g-poly(acrylic acid)/PVA (BPC-g-PAA/PVA) hydrogel and Layered double hydroxides (LDH) nanosheets was developed using in situ graft polymerization for slow release of NP (nitrogen, phosphorous) fertilizers and water retention. The hybrid nanocomposite hydrogel containing NP fertilizers was characterized using FTIR, and SEM. The effects of pH changes and different saline solutions on the swelling behavior, fertilizer release and water retention properties of the nanocomposite were investigated.The nanocomposite hydrogel showed a pH dependent swelling, as in the pH range of 7–10, the hydrogel had higher water absorbency. However, pH had opposite effects on the release of fertilizers. Phosphorus release had an increasing trend from pH 2 to 7 and it reached its maximum value at normal pH while nitrogen had a higher release rate at acidic pH and by increasing pH from 2 to 7, the release of nitrogen decreased gradually. Water absorption and fertilizer release of hydrogel was influenced by different cations in the order of Ca²⁺ < K⁺ < Na⁺. Water retention study in loamy sand soil showed that the nanocomposite hydrogel significantly improved the water retention of the soil for a longer period of time, compared to neat BPC-gPAA. This result indicated that incorporation of LDH nanosheets in hydrogel matrix improved its water retention property. The obtained results revealed that the nanocomposite of BPC-g-PAA/PVA hydrogel and LDH nanosheets can be a promising controlled release fertilizer formulation with enhanced water retention properties for agricultural applications.     

Equilibrium Study on Ion-Pair Formation in Water and Distribution Between Water and m-Xylene of Tetraalkylammonium Picrates

The 1:1 ion-pair formation constants (K _IP) of tetraalkylammonium (Me₄N⁺, Et₄N⁺, Pr₄N⁺, Bu₄N⁺, and Bu₃MeN⁺) picrates in water were determined by capillary electrophoresis at 25°C. The ion-pair extraction constants (K _ex,ip) of the picrates from water to m-xylene were determined by a batch-extraction method at 25°C, and the distribution constants (K _D) of the neutral ion-pairs were calculated from the relationship K _D = K_ex,ip/K _IP. The tetraalkylammonium ion having more methylene groups generally forms a slightly more stable ion-pair with the picrate ion in water, which is attributed to the lower hydration of the cation. For Me₄N⁺, Et₄N⁺, Pr₄N⁺, and Bu₄N⁺, the distribution of the ion pair into m-xylene increases in that order, and a linear relationship was found between log K _D and the number of methylene groups in the cation. This is consistently explained by the regular solution theory. It was also revealed that the ion pairs have a strong specific interaction with water. The ion pair of Bu₃MeN⁺ has a higher distribution constant than that expected from the relationship between log K _D and the number of methylene groups for the symmetrical tetraalkylammonium ions. The cation dependence of the ion pair extractability is mostly governed by that of the distribution of the ion pair.     

Adsorption of cesium using mesoporous silica gel evenly doped by Prussian blue nanoparticles

In this paper, a novel mesoporous silica gel evenly doped by Prussian blue nanoparticles (PBMSG) was successfully synthesized by using N,N-dimethylamide as template with a large Barrett-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area of 505 m²/g and an average pore size of 2.9 nm. The static adsorption experiments showed that the equilibration time of PBMSG for Cs⁺ was about 30 min. The adsorption isotherm of PBMSG for Cs⁺ accorded with Langmuir model and the theoretical maximum adsorption capacity was 80.0 ± 2.9 mg/g. When the initial concentration of Cs⁺ was 1.00 mg/L, the adsorption partition coefficient K_d could reach 3.5 × 10⁴ mL/g After adsorption, Cs⁺ could be eluted by dilute hydrochloric acid (pH 2) with an efficiency of 89.8%, while no K⁺, Fe³⁺, Fe²⁺ was eluted. PBMSG exhibited good selectivity toward Cs⁺ and Rb⁺. In the presence of high concentration of K⁺, the selective adsorption of PBMSG could change the mass ratio of K⁺, Rb⁺ and Cs⁺ from 96.63:0.83:1.00–1.12:0.73:1.00. The separation of Cs⁺ and Rb⁺ from K⁺ with similar concentration (100 mg/g) was realized by column experiment. This indicated that PBMSG was suitable for rapid recovery of low concentration of rubidium and cesium from complex matrixes, such as wastewater and salt lake brine, etc.     

Effects of Solvent Composition and Temperature on K+–18-Crown-6 Complexation in Acetonitrile–Water Mixed Solvents

Complexation of K⁺ by 18-crown-6 ether (18C6) in pure water and in acetonitrile–water mixed solvents containing 0.1 mol-dm^{? 3} (C₂H₅)₄NCl has been systematically studied by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) at 293, 298, and 303 K. The formation constant K of the 1:1 [K(18C6)]⁺ complex and the complexation enthalpy Δ _rH were simultaneously determined from the titration data. The logK and Δ _rH(kJ-mol^{? 1}) values at 298 K are 2.04, ?26.2 in pure water and 2.23, ?25.0; 2.61, ?24.2; 2.95, ?23.8; 3.48, ?21.0; 3.85, ?19.4; 4.36, ?18.7; and 5.73, ?17.0 in the mixed solvents at x _AN (mole fraction of acetonitrile) of 0.043, 0.135, 0.258, 0.448, 0.578, 0.759, and 1.0, respectively. The change in heat capacity for the complex formation, Δ C _p °, was also determined by the temperature dependence of Δ _rH. Whereas the Δ C _p ° is (57 ± 11) and (63 ± 20) J-mol^{? 1}-K^{? 1} in pure water and in the solvent mixture at x _AN = 0.043, respectively, it decreases with increasing x _AN. The Δ C _p ° values are ?(48 ± 11), ?(110 ± 25), ?(354 ± 40), ?(359 ± 24), and ?(304 ± 30) J-mol^{? 1}-K^{? 1} at x _AN = 0.135, 0.258, 0.448, 0.578, and 0.759, respectively. The changes in complexation thermodynamics (Δ Δ _rG, Δ Δ_rH, and Δ Δ _r S) are discussed in terms of the corresponding transfer thermodynamics of K⁺, 18-crown-6, and [K(18C6)]⁺ upon transferring from water to acetonitrile–water mixed solvents. It was found that hydrophobic solvation of the complex [K(18C6)]⁺ plays an important role in complex formation occurring in water and in the water-rich mixed solvent. Moreover, changes in solvent structure significantly affect the transfer enthalpy and entropy of each species, i.e., K⁺, 18-crown-6, and [K(18C6)]⁺. The observed monotonous changes in the complexation Gibbs energy, enthalpy, and entropy with solvent composition are due to the effective compensation of the Δ _trG, Δ _trH, and Δ _tr S for K⁺ with those for 18-crown-6 and [K(18C6)]⁺.     

Hydration forces between mica surfaces in electrolyte solutions

The forces between two molecularly smooth mica surfaces were measured over a range of concentrations in aqueous Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺ and Cs⁺ chloride solutions. Deviations from DLVO forces in the form of additional short-range repulsive “Hydration” forces were observed only above some critical bulk concentration, which was different for each electrolyte. These observations are interpreted in terms of the corresponding ion exchange properties at the mica surface. “hydration” forces apparently arise when hydrated cations adsorbed on mica are prevented from desorbing as two interacting surfaces approach. dehydration of the cations leads to a repulsive hydration force. A simple site-binding model was successfully applied to describe the charging behavior of interacting mica surfaces . By subtraction of the DLVO-regulation theory from the total measured force the net hydration force was obtained for mica surfaces apparently fully covered with adsorbed cations. The magnitude of this extra force followed the series Na⁺ > Li⁺ > K⁺ > Cs⁺ and, in each case, could be described by a double-exponential decay.     

Study on superabsorbent composite. IV. Effects of organification degree of attapulgite on swelling behaviors of polyacrylamide/organo-attapulgite composites

A novel kind of superabsorbent composite, polyacrylamide/organo-attapulgite, from acrylamide (AM) and attapulgite (APT) was prepared by aqueous polymerization, using N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) as a crosslinker and ammonium persulfate (APS) as an initiator. APT was organified with five different degree of hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (HDTMABr), and the organification degree of APT was proved by FTIR, TGA and XRD. The effects of organification degree of APT on water absorbency and swelling rate of the superabsorbent composite in distilled water and in various saline solutions were investigated in this study. The effect of organification degree on reswelling ability of the superabsorbent composites was also investigated. The results indicate that the organification degree of APT had remarkable influence on swelling behaviors of the superabsorbent composites. The superabsorbent composite acquired its highest water absorbency when the organification degree of APT is 8.02 wt.%.     

Synthesis and characterization of new polymeric phthalocyanines substituted with diaza-18-crown-6 macrocycles through ethyleneoxy bridges

A tetranitrile monomer was synthesized by nucleophilic aromatic substitution of N,N′-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)-4,13-diaza-18-crown-6 onto 4-nitrophthalonitrile. A series of polymeric metal-free and metallophthalocyanine (M = 2H, Zn, Cu, Co and Ni) polymers was prepared by polymeric tetramerization reaction of the tetranitrile monomer with proper materials. The electrical conductivities of the polymeric phthalocyanines measured as gold sandwiches were found to be ∼10⁻⁹–10⁻⁴ S cm⁻¹ in a vacuum and in argon. The extraction ability of the metal-free polymeric phthalocyanine was evaluated in tetrahydrofuran using several alkali metal picrates such as Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺ and Cs⁺. The extraction affinity of the metal-free polymeric phthalocyanine for K⁺ was found to be highest in the heterogeneous solid–liquid phase extraction experiments. The disaggregation property of the metal-free polymeric phthalocyanine was investigated with sodium, potassium and ammonium ions and methanol. All the novel compounds were characterized by using elemental analysis, UV–Vis, FT-IR, NMR and MS spectral data and DTA/TG.