1, 2 Department

Helmiyati1 and Malida Apriliza2

of Chemistry, Faculty Mathematic and Natural Science, University of Indonesia,

Depok, 16424, Indonesia
e-mail : helmi-yt@ui.ac.id

The superabsorbent synthesis of nanocomposite sodium alginate as the back bone with free radical
polymerization on copolymerization with acrylic acid, acrylamide monomer and bentonite can be used as slow
release biodegradable fertilizer. Copolymerization reaction is carried out at 700C used nitrogen, sodium alginate as
backbone, acrylic acid, acrylamide as monomer, potassium peroxodisulfate as initiator, N'N-methylene
bisakrilamida as crosslinking agent and bentonite as filler. The copolymerization results in the spectrum
characterization of superabsorbent sodium alginate -poly (AA-co-AM)/bentonite with FTIR shown OH stretching
vibration, NH and C=O stretching of monomer acrylic acid and acrylamide at wave number about 3343 cm-1 and
1600 cm-1. XRD patterns sodium alginate superabsorbent have semi-crystalline diffraction pattern, this is due to be
seen only one sharp peak and high, namely peak 2 = 9,970. The surface morphology with SEM, the superabsorbent
has a rough surface morphology compared to acrylic acid-acrylamide copolymer. The swelling capacity of
superabsorbent to water 576 g/g and urea 629 g/g, Release capacity of water and urea of superbsorbent
respectively are 77.9 % and 60.66 % measured during the 10 days. This result is quite satisfied to applied for slow
release superabsorbent.
Keywords: superabsorbent, nanocomposite, , sodium alginate, slow release fertilizer, release capacity

RESULTS

EXPERIMENTAL

A. Analysis of Functional groups by FTIR

Solution of Sodium
Alginate Powder +
Bentonite

Spectra of FTIR, a. Copolymers of acrylic acid-co-acrylamide,

b. Superabsorbent nanocomposite and
c. Slow release fertilizer nanocomposite

After 30 Minutes

B. Analysis of Crystallinity Index by XRD

AA + Aam + MBA + KPS

Solution of
Sodium
Alginate

Characterization

Superabsorbent
Nanocomposit

FTIR

SEM
XRD

Determine
Swelling
Capacity

Water

Urea

Micrograph superabsorbent acrylic acid-co-acrylamide (a),

the superabsorbent Na Alg-acrylic acid-acrylamide (b) and
superabsorbent nanocomposite (c)

Determine
Release
Capacity

Water

C. Analysis of Surface Morphology by SEM

D. Swelling and Release Capacity of Nanocomposite

Superabsorbent

Urea

Table Composition of the superabsorbent

nanocomposite

L/O/G/O

Sample
SA 1
SA 2
SA 3
SA 4
SA 5
SA 6
SA 7
SA 8
SA 9
SA 10
SA 11

Na-Alg
(%)
1
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3

Bentonite
(%)
15
15
15
15
15
10
20
15
15
15
15

KPS (%)
1.2
1.2
1.2
1.2
1.2
1.2
1.2
1,2
1.2
1.2
1.2

Aam
(g)
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
4
5
6
6

AA (g)

MBA (%)

7
7
7
7
7
7
7
7
7
5
6

0.75
0.75
0.75
0.25
1.25
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This research was supported by Research Fund of Grant
Research Universities, Directorate General for Higher
Education, for fiscal year 2016

CONCLUSION
Superabsorbent nanocomposite was succesfully synthesized by free radical polymerization method. The addition of
bentonite on the superabsorbent can increase the swelling capacity and good release capasity. This result is supported
from FTIR spectra showed that the incorporation of bentonite superabsorbent matrix. It can also be observed by XRD
diffraction pattern. The results of surface morphology by SEM seen with the addition of bentonite, the structure
superabsorbent nanocomposite will be more porous. It was due to increase the absorption of water and urea in the
superabsorbent nanocomposite. The capacity of release quite well up to day 10 th for urea 60% and water 78%, which
means fertilizer and water are still in nanocomposite. Finally, the superabsorbent nanocomposite prepared in this work
have a good release capacity, thus reducing the loss of fertilizer and can withstand water, can be applied in agricultural

REFERENCE
1. Torres M. R, Allessandra P. A, Eduardo A. T, Silva F, Dirce F. M, Judith P. A, Feitosa, Regina C. M, Maria G. S, Extraction and
physicochemical characterization of
2. Sargassum vulgare alginate from Brazil Carbohydrate Research 342, 2007, 2067-2074
3. Sharma A, Gupta M. N, Three phase partitioning of carbohydrate polymers: separation and purification of alginates,
Carbohydrate Polymer 48, 5, 2002, 391-395
4. Donati L, Vetere A, Gamini A, Skajak-Braek G, Coslovi A, Campa C, Paoletti S, Galactose-Substituted Alginate: Preliminary
Characterization and Study of Gelling Properties, Biomacromolecules 4, 3, 2003, 624-631
5. Moe S. T, Draget K. I, Skajak-Braek G, Smidsrod O, In Food Polysaccharides and their Applications Stephen, A., Ed- Marcel
Dekker : New York 1995, pp 245-286