Comparison of the swelling kinetics of a partially neutralized poly(acrylic acid) hydrogel in distilled water and physiological solution

The isothermal kinetics curves of the swelling of a poly(acrylic acid) hydrogel in distilled water and physiological solution at temperatures ranging from 20 to 40 ?C were determined. The possibility of applying both the Fick?s kinetics model and kinetics model of the first order chemical reaction to the swelling kinetics of the PAA hydrogel in distilled water and physiological solution were examined. It was found that the possibilities of applying these models were limited. The new model of the kinetics of swelling in distilled water and physiological solution was established. The kinetic parameters (Ea, ln A) for the swelling in distilled water and physiological solution were determined. The decrease of the equilibrium degree of swelling and the saturation swelling rate of the swelling of the PAA hydrogel in physiological solution compared to swelling in distilled water could be explained by the decreased differences in the ionic osmotic pressures between the hydrogel and the swelling medium. The increase of the initial swelling rate in the physiological solution might be caused by an increased density of charges at the network and by an increased affinity of the network towards the water molecules. The increase of the activation energy of the swelling of the PAA hydrogel in the physiological solution is a consequence of its additional "ionic crosslinking".