Two-step synthesis of superabsorbent conducting hydrogel based on poly(acrylamide-pyrrole) with interpenetrating network structure

Poly(acrylamide-pyrrole) conducting polymer was prepared by a two-step aqueous polymerisation. First, the polyacrymide superabsorbent polymer was synthesised by a routine aqueous polymerisation. Second, pyrrole monomers were absorbed inside the polyacrylamide network and followed by a polymerisation to form a poly(acrylamide-pyrrole) polymer. An interpenetrating network structure model with a three-dimensional network of polyacrylamide and a one-dimensional chain of polypyrrole for poly(acrylamide-pyrrole) conducting hydrogel was proposed. The conductivity of the hydrogel depends on the polypyrrole conjugated chains. After preparation conditions were optimised, the hydrogel possessed a conductivity of 21.33 mS cm(-1).