Preparation and properties of alginate superabsorbent filament fibers crosslinked with glutaraldehyde

Superabsorbent filament fibers based on sodium alginate were prepared using glutaraldehyde as a crosslinking agent. Alginate was extruded into an aqueous hydrochloric acid coagulation bath to form continuous alginic acid gel fibers via a wet-spinning method. The alginic acid gel fibers were dehydrated by exchanging water with dioxane, crosslinked, then neutralized for better absorbency. Crosslinked alginate filaments exhibited a high saline solution and synthetic urine absorbencies, maintaining the integrity of the fiber structure. Maximum synthetic urine absorbency was obtained with the fiber crosslinked at a lower glutaraldehyde concentration compared with that required for maximum saline solution absorbency. This appears to be due to the crosslinking effect of calcium ions in the synthetic urine solution being absorbed. Strain and tenacity of the crosslinked alginate fibers decreased with an increasing amount of glutaraldehyde used in the crosslinking reaction. The decrease in tenacity was not significant while the strain showed an extensive decrease. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 78: 1797–1804, 2000