Synthesis and characterization of chitosan & amino acid superabsorbent hydrogels

Chitosan & L-alanine and chitosan & L-leucine superabsorbent hydrogels were prepared by crosslinking chitosan with glutaraldehyde. L-alanine and L-leucine were used as amino acid structures in different loading degrees and the optimum amount of amino acid was determined for both types of hydrogel. The swelling behaviors of neat chitosan, chitosan & Lalanine and chitosan & L-leucine hydrogels were investigated by gravimetric measurements with different pH values and at different intervals of time. The neat chitosan, chitosan & Lalanine and chitosan & L-leucine hydrogels were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) were used to find the thermal stability of the hydrogels. Also, surface morphological studies of all the hydrogels were carried out by using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). In addition, XRD analysis demonstrated significant changes in the characteristic and morphological structures of the hydrogels.