Obtaining hybrid absorbents by grafting acrylamide onto chitosan chains under gamma irradiation

Hybrid hydrogels have been synthesized by radiation grafting of acrylamide to chitosan chains. The structure of the acrylamide-grafted chitosan was examined using FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and simultaneous thermal analysis. It has been determined that both hydroxyl and amino groups of the polysaccharide are the grafting centers of growing polyacrylamide chains on the chitosan macromolecules. The effect of the reagents ratio on the sorption and rheological properties of the obtained hydrogels has been studied. Hydrogels based on acrylamide-grafted chitosan were modified chemically by alkaline hydrolysis, and the effect of hydrolysis on the sorption capacity of hydrogels with respect to water and Cu(II) ions was examined.