Novel nanocomposite super absorbent polymers reinforced by clay nanosheets

Super absorbent polymers (SAPs) are of great significance in industry and personal care, etc. The study aims to introduce novel nanocomposite SAPs that are able to uptake very high water content while maintaining excellent strength. The polymers are synthesized by in situ polymerization with the presence of exfoliated montmorillonite (MMT) and trace amount of crosslinkers. SEM images show macroporous structures of these nanocomposites, while TEM images demonstrate excellent distribution of the MMT nanosheets in the polymer matrix. The effect of clay content on the equilibrium water uptake has been systematically investigated. More importantly, the highly swollen nanocomposite SAPs show very high tensile strength (up to 550 kPa), which is much higher than those reported in literature and used in the market. These SAPs with high water uptake and strength may find applications in agriculture and oil fields.