Table 1 Comparison of various properties of synthetic and hybrid SAH.
From: Transformation of non-water sorbing fly ash to a water sorbing material for drought management
Properties | Synthetic SAH | Hybrid SAH |
|---|---|---|
Composition | Comprise of purely synthetic monomer unit (such as acrylic acid, acrylamide) | Natural materials (such as starch, cellulose, clay, chitosan) linked with synthetic monomer unit |
Water absorbing capacity (WAC) | WAC ranges between 100 and 300 g/g of SAH | WAC can be as high as 1000 g/g of SAH |
Salt sensitivity | Synthetic SAH highly sensitive to the salt solutions | Addition of natural material in polymer network improves the salt sensitivity of SAH |
Biodegradability | Lower rate of degradation | Degradation rate is higher due to presence of natural materials |
Eco-compatibility | Not very eco-compatible due to the synthetic material | Excellent eco-compatibility |
Cost | Higher production cost due to use of pure chemicals | Production cost is lower due to incorporation of low-cost natural materials/waste material |
Field of application | Wound dressing, Hygienic applications | Agriculture, horticulture, dryland farming |
