Effect of maleic acid content on the thermal stability, swelling behaviour and network structure of gelatin-based hydrogels prepared by gamma irradiation

The highly swelling Poly (acrylamide/maleic acid/gelatin) P(AAm/MA/G) hydrogels were prepared by gamma-irradiation at low dose rate (0.94 kGy/h) and moderate dose rate (3.84 kGy/h). The hydrogels were confirmed by FTIR. The effect of copolymer composition, dose and dose rate on the swelling behaviour was discussed. Increasing of MA content and G in the initial mixture leads to an increase in the amount of MA and G in the gel system and decrease in the gelation %. The swelling behaviours of the hydrogel prepared at moderate dose rate increased with increasing MA mole content in the gel system but, there is no systematic dependence of swelling on MA content was observed for the hydrogels obtained at low dose rate. Pore structure of the hydrogels was monitored by using scanning electron microscopy. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and the rate of the thermal decomposition of P(AAm/MA/G) hydrogels has been evaluated to give a better understanding of the thermal stability of polymers, The X-ray data of P(AAm/MA/G) hydrogels was discussed to investigate some features namely the degree of ordering and crystallite size.