Title: Physicochemical Characterization Copolymeric Hydrogel Synthesised from Flamboyant (Delonix regia) Pods
Authors: Ojo, I.A.,,,,, Olu-Arotiowa O.A.,, Ajani A.O.,,, Tijani, I.O.,,, Afolabi, T.J.,,, Bello, W.O.,,, Adeyi, V.A., and Alade, A.O.,,,,
Volume: 9
Issue: 3
Pages: 53-59
Publication Date: 2025/03/28
Abstract:
Hydrogels are binary systems of polymer and liquid with cross-linking agents forming a three-dimensional structure that holds large amounts of water. Hydrogels are a class of polymeric materials with a hydrophilic structure that allows them to swell considerably in an aqueous medium and demonstrate an extraordinary capacity for imbibing water into the network structure. The pods generated by Delonix regia (DR) trees constitute nuisance to the environment as solid waste and thus require attention. Therefore, this study harnessed the bio-resourcefulness of DR pods, being an abundant, renewable resource for the production of eco-friendly Copolymeric Hydrogel (CH) which was employed as an effective adsorbent for the remediation of pollutants in wastewater. The Delonix regia Pod Copolymeric Hydrogels (DRPCH) were prepared by free radical graft copolymerization of Acrylic Acid (AA) and Acrylamide (AM) onto the backbone of Delonix regia Pod (DRP) in the presence of N, N-methylene Bis-acrylamide (MBA) as a cross-linker. The DRPCH developed was characterized using water absorbency, water retention behavior, gel content, and proximate analysis, The highest swelling percentages of DRPCH for water and Methylene Blue (MB) were 288 % (2.88 g/g) and 235 % (2.35 g/g), respectively. The results of water holding capacity showed that synthesized hydrogel can hold water for about seven hours. It was observed that the moisture content (5.90 %) and ash content (5.60 %) were low; volatile matter (25.20 %) was moderate while the fixed carbon content (77.95 %) was high and desirable. This shows that hydrogel prepared from DRP meets the requirements for use as an adsorbent.