Hydrogels Based on Natural Polymers Loaded with Bentonite and/or Halloysite: Composition Impact on Spectroscopic, Thermal, and Swelling Properties.

Hydrogels are characterized by their property of absorbing and releasing a high content of water and water-based liquids; thus, they can be applied in agriculture as controlled-release water and fertilizer products. The focus of this research was efficient and low-cost natural polymer-based hydrogels obtained by crosslinking gellan gum (GGLA) and starch (ST) with acetic acid (CA) and loading them with either bentonite (BET) and/or halloysite (HAL). The hydrogels were obtained by mixing 100, 75, 50, 25, and 0 wt.

Improved Conductivity in Gellan Gum and Montmorillonite Nanocomposites Electrolytes.

Nanocomposite polymer electrolytes (NPEs) were obtained using gellan gum (GG) and 1 to 40 wt.% of montmorillonite (NaSYN-1) clay. The NPEs were crosslinked with formaldehyde, plasticized with glycerol, and contained LiClO.