In this paper, attention is paid to synthesis and swelling behavior of a superabsorbent hydrogel based carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and polyacrylonitrile (PAN). The physical mixture of CMC and PAN was hydrolyzed in NaOH solution to yield hydrogel, CMC-poly(NaAA-co-AAm). During alkaline hydrolysis, the nitrile groups of PAN were completely converted to a mixture of hydrophilic carboxamide and carboxylate groups followed by in situ crosslinking of the grafted PAN chains. A proposed mechanism for hydrogel formation was suggested and the structure of the product was established using FTIR spectroscopy. The reaction variables affecting the swelling capacity of the hydrogel were systematically optimized to achieve a hydrogel with swelling capacity as high as possible. Swelling measurements of the synthesized hydrogels in various chloride salt solutions indicated a swelling-loss with increase in the ionic strength of the salt solutions. The pH of the various solutions also affected the swelling of the superabsorbent. Furthermore, the present hydrogels showed a pH-reversible property. Finally, the swelling kinetics of synthesized hydrogels with various absorbent particle sizes was briefly examined. (C) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.