RADIATION SYNTHESIS OF POLY VINYLPYRROLIDONE AND POLYACRYLAMIDE HYDROGELS AS SOIL CONDITIONER.

The important to synthesize a lower toxicity hydrogel with high biocompatibility to use in agricultural field. In this regard, the polymerization reaction of Poly vinylpyrrolidone and Poly acrylamide (PVP/PAAm) hydrogel has been obtained after exposed the copolymer and monomer mixture to dose of 30 kGy. The equilibrium swollen of the obtained hydrogel was 25 (g/g) after 60 min., has an advantage to use as soil conditioner. The hydrogels samples have been prepared in weight ratios 25:75, 50:50 and 75:25 (wt:wt). The crosslink density combining this with measurements of the swelling degree was depend on the copolymer concentration of two polymers. The morphology and the chemical structure of the PVP/PAAm hydrogels was characterized using Scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy technique (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The PVP/PAAm hydrogels with ratio (75/25) were selected to evaluate the effectiveness on water holding capacity (WHC) in heavy metals and alkaline soil pH >9 for plating sunflower (Helianthus annuus).