Preparation and Performance Research of <scp>RSC</scp> ‐g‐P( <scp>AA</scp> ‐ <scp>AM</scp> )/ <scp> SiO ₂ </scp> Composite Water‐Retaining Materials

ABSTRACT The arid northwestern region of China is facing severe issues of water scarcity and land desertification. However, conventional water‐retaining materials suffer from inadequate mechanical strength and limited biodegradability, constraining their practical application. In this study, we synthesized an innovative composite water‐retaining material, RSC‐g‐P(AA‐AM)/SiO 2 (rice straw cellulose‐graft‐poly (acrylic acid‐co‐acrylamide)/nano‐SiO 2 ), via ultrasonic‐assisted aqueous solution polymerization using rice straw cellulose as the primary raw material. Comprehensive performance evaluations and mechanistic analyses demonstrated that the material achieves exceptional performance: a maximum swelling capacity of 148.7 g/g (about 70% higher than conventional clay‐polymer SAPs), while retaining &gt; 60% capacity after five cycles and stable function across pH 5–10 and saline conditions (≤ 25 mmol/L NaCl). Characterization techniques including FTIR, SEM, XRD, and TGA confirmed the successful synthesis and enhanced thermal stability imparted by nano‐SiO 2 . This research provides a promising technical foundation for applying advanced water‐retaining materials to mitigate water scarcity and promote ecological restoration in desertified regions.