Esraa G. Arafa

The terms gel and hydrogel are used to refer to the same substance. The term hydrogel emphasizes that the second component of the dispersed system (polymer / water) is water. There may be alcohol gel and other gels.

Apparently you need to calculate the mass fraction of the polymer in the hydrogel. In other words, a dried hydrogel. It is called a xerogel. Weigh the hydrogel. It is difficult to remove water from the gel. You can remove the water under vacuum, then in air and finally dry in a desiccator over anhydrous calcium chloride or phosphorus pentoxide. Receive xerogel. Then, after weighing it, determine its mass fraction.

Is gel mass fraction percentage effect by concentration of crosslinker?

Esraa G. Arafa

Let's say you are crosslinking an epoxy with polyamine. The more you add polyamine , the more there will be cross-linking points and the higher the viscosity, and then the curing of the composite, will be. I remind you once again that a gel is a polymer + water dispersed system. The more polymer in the gel, the more it will be bound to the crosslinking agent, the lower its concentration in the composition will be.