Cationic dye adsorption by poly(N-isopropylacrylamide/maleic acid) copolymeric hydrogels prepared by gamma rays

N-isopropylacrylamide/maleic acid hydrogels containing different quantities of maleic acid have been synthesized with γ-radiation. The hydrogels were used in experiments on swelling, diffusion and adsorption of a cationic dye methylene blue. The diffusion of MB into the hydrogels was found to be the non-Fickian type. The factors influencing adsorption capacity of the hydrogel such as gel composition, and irradiation dose were systematically investigated. The equilibrium data for dye adsorption was better described by the Freundlich isotherm than Langmuir isotherm model. The kinetic studies showed that the pseudo-second-order kinetic model fits better than the data obtained from pseudo-first-order model.