• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.69-79
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• 2019

This work presents an experimental study of the hydromechanical behavior of a natural swelling soil taken from Boumagueur region east of Algeria. Several pathological cases due to the soil shrinkage / swelling phenomenon were detected in this area. In a first part, the hydric behavior on drying-wetting paths was made, using the osmotic technics and saturated salts solutions to control suction. In The second part, using a new osmotic oedometer, the coupled behavior as a function of applied stresses and suction was investigated. It was shown that soil compressibility parameters was influenced by suction variations that an increase in suction is followed by a decrease in the virgin compression slope. On the other hand, the unloading slope of the oedometric curves was not obviously affected by the imposed suction. The decrease in suction strongly influences the apparent preconsolidation pressure, ie during swelling of the samples after wetting.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.219-229
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• 2008

A pH sensitive ternary copolymer gel was synthesized in the presence of ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as a crosslinking agent through radical polymerization of vinyl acetate (VA), acrylic acid (AA) and methyl acrylate(MA) with a weight ratio of 1 : 1.3 : 1. A number of experiments were carried out to determine the swelling behavior of the gel under a variety of pH conditions of the swelling medium. As the pH of the swelling medium was changed from 1.0 to 8.0 at $37^{\circ}C$, the gel showed a shift in the pH-dependent swelling behavior from Fickian (n=0.3447) to non-Fickian (n=0.9125). The resulting swelling parameters were analyzed using graphical and statistical methods. The results showed that the swelling of the gel was controlled by the pH of the medium, i.e. $n=n_o{\exp}(S_{C}pH)$, where n is the diffusion exponent, $n_o(=28.9645{\times}10^{-2})$ is the pre-exponential factor and $S_C$(=0.1417) is pH sensitivity coefficient. The swelling behavior of the gel was also examined in aliphatic alcohols. The results showed that the rate of swelling increased with increasing number of carbon atoms in the alcoholic molecular chain.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.267-275
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• 2019

Tabriz is a large Iranian city and the capital of the East Azerbaijan province. The bed rock of this city is mainly consisted of marl layers. Marl layers have some outcrops in the northern and eastern parts of city that mainly belong to the Baghmisheh formation. Based on their colors, these marls are classified into three types: yellow, green, and gray marls. The city is developing toward its eastern side wherein various civil projects are under construction including tunnels, underground excavation, and high-rise building. In this regard, the swelling behavior assessment of these marls is of critical importance. Also, in lightweight structures with foundation pressure less than swelling pressure, several problems such as walls cracking and jamming of door and windows may occur. In the present study, physical properties and swelling behavior of Baghmisheh marls are investigated. According to the X-ray diffractometer (XRD) results, the marls are mainly composed of Illite, Kaolinite, Montmorillonite, and Chloride minerals. Type and content of clay minerals and initial void ratio have a decisive role in swelling behavior of these marls. The swelling potential of these marls was investigated using one-dimensional odometer apparatus under stress level up to 10 kPa. The results showed that yellow marls have high swelling potential and expansibility compared to the other marls. In addition, green and gray marls showed intermediate and low swelling potential and swelling pressure, respectively.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.30 no.11
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• pp.2680-2686
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• 2009

The synthesis of a novel superabsorbent hydrogel with natural hybrid backbone via graft copolymerization of acrylamide (AAm) onto kappa-carrageenan (kC, as a polysaccharide) and gelatin (as a protein) under classic thermal conditions is described. The Taguchi method as a strong experimental design tool was used for synthesis optimization. A series of hydrogels were synthesized by proposed conditions of Qualitek-4 Software. Considering the results of 9 trials according to analysis of variance (ANOVA), optimum conditions were proposed. The swelling behavior of optimum hydrogel was measured in various solutions with pH values ranging from 1 to 13. In addition, swelling kinetics, swelling in various organic solvents, various salt solutions and On–Off switching behavior were investigated. The hydrogel formation was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetrical analysis (TGA). Surface morphology of the synthesized hydrogels was assessed by scanning electron microscope (SEM).

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.299-304
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• 2005

There have been many efforts to use anionic hydrogels as oral protein delivery carriers due to their pH-responsive swelling behavior. The dynamic swelling behavior of poly(methacrylic acid-co-methacryloxyethyl glucoside) [P(MAA-co-MEG)] hydrogels was investigated to determine the mechanism of water transport through these anionic hydrogels. The exponential relation $M_t/M_{\infty}=kt^n$ was used to calculate the exponent, n, describing the Fickian or non-Fickian behavior of swelling polymer networks. The mechanism of water transport through these gels was significantly affected by the pH of the swelling medium. The mechanism of water transport became more relaxation-controlled in the swelling medium of pH 7.0 that was higher than the $pK_a$ of the gels. Experimental results of time-dependent swelling behavior of the gels were analyzed with several mathematical models. Using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, the effect of ionization of the carboxylic acid groups in the polymer networks on the water transport mechanism was investigated.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.13-18
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• 2001

This study was to investigate the relationship between the gel layer thickness and swelling boundary via strength measurements using texture analysis. The novel texture analysis approach was used to examine the dynamics of swelling behavior in a ternary polymeric matrix tablet. The method permitted the characterization of the changes occurring at the peripheral as well as within interior boundary of the swelling during water ingress. The increase in gel strength for pectin, HPMC, and a ternary mixture with gelatin was found to depend on polymer concentration. Therefore, this method is further applicable to characterize the swelling behavior and provide opportunity to differentiate the gel-layer from that of swelling boundary.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.45-53
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• 2005

In this study, a series of highly swelling hydrogels based on sodium alginate (NaAlg) and polymethacryl­amide (PMAM) was prepared through free radical polymerization. The graft copolymerization reaction was performed in a homogeneous medium and in the presence of ammonium persulfate (APS) as an initiator and N,N'-methylenebis­acrylamide (MBA) as a crosslinker. The crosslinked graft copolymer, alginate-graft-polymethacrylamide (Alg-g­PMAM), was then partially hydrolyzed by NaOH solution to yield a hydrogel, hydrolyzed alginate-graft-poly­methacrylamide (H-Alg-g-PMAM). During alkaline hydrolysis, the carboxamide groups of Alg-g-PMAM were converted into hydrophilic carboxylate anions. Either the Alg-g-PMAM or the H-Alg-g-PMAM was characterized by FTIR spectroscopy. The effects of the grafting variables (i.e., concentration of MBA, MAM, and APS) and the alkaline hydrolysis conditions (i.e., NaOH concentration, hydrolysis time, and temperature) were optimized systematically to achieve a hydrogel having the maximum swelling capacity. Measurements of the absorbency in various aqueous salt solutions indicated that the swelling capacity decreased upon increasing the ionic strength of the swelling medium. This behavior could be attributed to a charge screening effect for monovalent cations, as well as ionic cross-linking for multivalent cations. Because of the high swelling capacity in salt solutions, however, the hydrogels might be considered as anti-salt superabsorbents. The swelling behavior of the superabsorbing hydrogels was also measured in solutions having values of pH ranging from 1 to 13. Furthermore, the pH reversibility and on/off switching behavior, measured at pH 2.0 and 8.0, suggested that the synthesized hydrogels were excellent candidates for the controlled delivery of bioactive agents. Finally, we performed preliminary investigations of the swelling kinetics of the synthesized hydrogels at various particle sizes.

• Proceedings of the Korean Fiber Society Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.17-18
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• 2003

Swelling behaviors of Lyocell and Polynosic fibers are investigated by measuring fiber sizes in ferric sodium tartrate complex (FeTNa) and NaOH solution. They showed an anisotropic swelling behavior, i.e., a large expansion in a radius and small shrinking in a longitudinal direction. Birefringent structure was maintained in Lyocell fibers in the swollen state but not in Polynosic fibers for both solvent systems.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.291-295
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• 2003

Dextran as a candidate material for colon-specific drug delivery has been studied. Crosslinked dextran hydrogels were prepared by mixing dextran, $MgCl_2$, glutaraldehyde (GA) and polyethyleneglycol (PEG 400) in water. The dextran hydrogels were characterized by measuring equilibrium swelling ratios and mechanical strengths. Response surface methodology (Central Composite Design) was used to evaluate the swelling behaviors and mechanical strengths as functions of concentrations of $MgCl_2$, GA, and PEG 400, which was found to be useful for the evaluation. It showed that the swelling behavior and mechanical strengths were influenced significantly by PEG 400 and $MgCl_2$ concentrations.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.45-50
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• 2008

This study examined the swelling behavior and in vitro release of a model drug, tetracycline-HCl, from alginate and alginate-polyaspartate (Alg-PASP) composite gel beads. The alginate and Alg-PASP composite beads were prepared using an ionic crosslinking method with aqueous $Ca^{2+}$. Their microporous morphology was observed by scanning electron microscopy. The swelling ratio of the beads in different media varied according to their composition, cross-linking density ($Ca^{2+}$ concentration), and pH of the aqueous medium. The in vitro release experiment of the tetracycline-HCl encapsulated beads in different media suggests that the release of the drug is governed mainly by the swelling properties of the polymer network. The presence of PASP was found to significantly influence the swelling properties and drug release profile.