Effect of the swelling degree on the non-isothermal dehydration kinetics of a poly(acrylic acid)-g-gelatine hydrogel

Abstract

The kinetics of non-isothermal dehydration of a poly(acrylic acid)-g-gelatine hydrogel swollen to different swelling degrees is investigated. The thermogravimetric curves are recorded at different heating rates in the interval from 5 K mol⁻¹ to 20 K mol⁻¹ within the temperature range from ambient temperature to 480 K. It is found that all kinetics curves can be described using the Weibull function. Based on the suggested kinetics model, the values of the specific rates are calculated and the values of apparent activation energies are established. Distribution functions of activation energies are obtained. The changes found in the values of Weibull function parameters, dependences of the specific rate on temperature, and apparent activation energies on temperature and the dehydration degree, as well as different activation energy distributions, are explained using the fluctuation model of a hydrogel, as a dynamically disordered system that goes through changes during the dehydration process. The presented results can have both fundamental and practical significance in the fields where the application is based on the ability of the hydrogel to conserve and slowly release water.