froot - 11-3-2007 at 06:32
A fascinating new product has hit the market here which I'm told is a polymer that absorbs water many times it's weight froming a gelatenous mass and
finds uses from hydroponics to insect breeding. It is said to be non-toxic and is tasteless. It can be dried back to crystals and reused over and
over.
Anybody know anymore about this substance and perhaps it's synthesis?
not_important - 11-3-2007 at 07:46
http://www.creativechemistry.com/saps.cfm
http://www.watercampws.uiuc.edu/waterclear/labs/lessons/poly...
http://www.watercampws.uiuc.edu/waterclear/labs/lessons/poly...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_polyacrylate
YT2095 - 11-3-2007 at 09:03
Polyacrylamide is the only one I know of, but it far from New.
400X it`s own mass in water.
[Edited on 11-3-2007 by YT2095]
roamingnome - 11-3-2007 at 20:55
grab some diapers to play around with polyacrylate
it absorbs more water then acrylamide, but it breaks down into a gel that wont form crystals again after time.
polyacrylamide seems a bit more hardy, and keeps plants from drying out very nicely...
you can make it , but buying 50lbs bags of it is getting common.
oh. oh thermosensitive absorbing polymers are what to try to synthesize...
at 60 degrees they pee out their water.... potentionally making a really neat sleeping pad....