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2025 Vol.57, Issue 5 Preview Page

Original Paper

Absorption Properties of pH-Responsive Carboxymethyl Cellulose Hydrogels Crosslinked with Epichlorohydrin and Citric Acid

에피클로로히드린과 시트르산으로 가교된 pH 감응성 카르복시메틸셀룰로오스 하이드로겔의 흡수 특성

Dohyeon Heo1
,
Byoung-Uk Cho2†
허 도현1
,
조 병욱2†
1Department of Paper Science & Engineering, College of Forest and Environmental Sciences, KangUniversity
2Program of Paper Material Science & Engineering, College of Forest and Environmental Sciences, Kangwon National University
1강원대학교 산림환경과학대학 제지공학과, 학생
2강원대학교 산림환경과학대학 종이소재과학전공, 교수
†Corresponding Author: E-mail: bucho@kangwon.ac.kr (Address: Program of Paper Material Science & Engineering, College of Forest and Environmental Sciences, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, 24341, Republic of Korea)
30 October 2025. pp. 23-31
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Abstract

In this study, pH-responsive hydrogels were prepared from carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) using epichloroor citric acid (CA) as crosslinkers to compare their swelling and water-retention properties. CMC solutions containing varying concentrations of either crosslinker (0–1.5% (w/w)) were oven-dried to form their corresponding films, which were used to prepare the hydrogels. As observed, all solutions exhibehaviors, with viscosity increasing more significantly for the ECH-containing solution than for the CA-containing one. Fourier-transform infrared analysis confirmed the formation of an ether bond between the ECH and CMC hydroxyl groups and an ester bond between the CA carboxyl groups and CMC hydroxyl groups. The zeta potential for all prepared hydrogels shifted from near neutral at pH 3 to strongly negative at pH 11. Concurrently, the swelling capacity decreased sharply at a crosslinker concentration of more than 0.5%, while the centrifuge retention capacity (CRC) increased. The ECH-crosslinked hydrogels exhibited slightly lower swelling but higher CRC compared with the CA-crosslinked ones. These results indicate that the pH-responsive performance of CMC-based hydrogels can be tailored for smart-absorbent applications by adjusting the crosslinker type and concentration.

Keywords
pH sensitive smart materials
carboxymethyl cellulose
epichlorohydrin
citric acid
swelling
water retention
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Information
  • Publisher :Korea Technical Association of The Pulp and Paper Industry
  • Publisher(Ko) :한국펄프종이공학회
  • Journal Title :Journal of Korea TAPPI
  • Journal Title(Ko) :펄프종이기술
  • Volume : 57
  • No :5
  • Pages :23-31
  • Received Date : 2025-08-18
  • Revised Date : 2025-09-23
  • Accepted Date : 2025-09-24
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.7584/JKTAPPI.2025.10.57.5.23
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