Analysis of kinetic behavior of temperature-sensitive water-absorbing hydrogel.

Abstract

Kinetic behavior of a temperature-sensitive water-absorbing gel was analyzed experimentally by using a newly developed water-absorbing polyvinylmethylether gel (PVMEG). The gel showed a volume change phenomenon responding to a temperature change across the temperature of 310 K. It swelled and shrank respectively below and above the transition temperature. A simple mathematical model for the kinetic behavior of the gel is presented and it is found that the simulated behavior of the gel fits very well with the experimental results by employing appropriate values for the parameters included in the model.