An empirical model for describing weight changes in swelling and shrinking gels

The weight gain/loss patterns of agar and carrageenan gels immersed in aqueous solutions of sucrose (0–30%) or acetone (10–100%) were described in terms of a two-parameter non-exponential model that was previously proposed for other physical accumulation or decay phenomena. The model has a good fit to experimental data and enabled the prediction of the equilibrium weight ratio with an error of 5% or less.