Swelling behavior of palygorskite/poly(sodium acrylate) superabsorbent composites

Palygorskite/poly (sodium acrylate) (PAANa) superabsorbent composites were synthesized via aqueous solution polymerization with palygorskite and acrylate acid (AA) as raw materials. Swelling properties of palygorskite/PAANa superabsorbent composites were investigated. The superabsorbent composite was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results show that the distilled water absorbency and physiological saline solution absorbency of 10% palygorskite/PAANa superabsorbent composites reach 1666g/g and 115g/g，respectively. In comparison to the distilled water absorbency and physiological saline solution absorbency of PAANa，724g/g and 58g/g，the performance of palygorskite/PAANa composites is improved largely. Palygorskite/PAANa composites have excellent water retention and repeat water absorbency properties. Palygorskite/PAANa composites water absorbency reduces along with the electrolyte solution ion intensity ascension，the reduction degree order being Al³⁺>Ca²⁺>Na⁺. Compared with sepiolite/PAANa，stilbite/PAANa，diatomite/PAANa，sericite/PAANa，kaolin/PAANa and montmorillonite/PAANa，the palygorskite/PAANa composites have super water absorbency；especially，the distilled water absorbency and physiological saline solution absorbency performance is enhanced largely.