Superabsorbant hydrogels based on xanthan and poly(vinyl alcohol): 1. The study of the swelling properties

The swelling properties of some superabsorbant composite hydrogels, based on xanthan and poly(vinyl alcohol) and crosslinked with epichlorohydrin, were studied. The maximum swelling degree of the hydrogels and the swelling rate constant were determined as a function of the hydrogelʹs composition (the % of poly(vinyl alcohol) in the polymer mixture and the amount of crosslinking agent), the crosslinking reaction conditions (the time and the temperature of the crosslinking reaction), and the composition of the swelling solutions (the glycerin/water ratio and the concentration of the electrolyte).