PREPARATION CHARACTERIZATION AND OPTIMIZATION OF CARBOXYMETHYL TAMARIND KERNEL GUM-POLY VINYL ALCOHOL HYDROGEL VIA DATA ENVELOPMENT ANALYSIS

Abstract

Conventional synthesis process usually involves hit and trial approach which is laborious process that consumes ample resources and time. Hence, it’s really important to adopt computer-aided techniques of optimization for selecting the optimum parameters which are used in synthesis of material involved. In my work, a novel optimizing technique was used for precise synthesis of carboxymethyl tamarind kernel gum (CMTKG) - poly vinyl alcohol (PVA) based hydrogel which itself is a novel combination. In this total 16 samples were prepared by varying the input parameters such as concentrations of both polymers, initiator and crosslinker and the products formed were analyzed for optimizing the reaction variables using data envelopment analysis (DEA). Each sample was considered as decision making unit (DMU) in order to get the efficiency frontier. Data Envelopment Analysis was applied to different DMUs to obtain their relative efficiencies according to which efficient and inefficient DMUs were discriminated. Also, to improve the performance of inefficient DMUs, slack analysis was done for CCR DEA model. Slack of inputs shows how much excess amount is there in each DMU which suggest possible reduction in inputs to improve the efficiency of that DMU. Experimentally swelling studies were also carried out in order to validate the model by matching it with the predicted DMU. This innovative green technique used for accurate synthesis of CMTKG-PVA hydrogel helped in predicting the optimal parameters using less time, labour and resources. This thesis entitled “Preparation, Characterization and Optimization of Carboxymethyl Tamarind Kernel Gum- Poly Vinyl Alcohol based hydrogel via Data Envelopment Analysis” includes the synthesis of hydrogel, its characterization by FTIR, SEM, TGA, DSC and the use of Data Envelopment Analysis for optimizing the reaction variables used in synthesis including study of swelling kinetics and rheological study of the optimized hydrogel. The whole study is compiled in five chapters, (1) Introduction (2) Literature review (3) Experiment Performed (4) Result and Discussion (5) Conclusion