*3.4. XRD*

The XRD pattern of GT, gum tragacanth-cl-*N,N*-dimethylacrylamide hydrogel (GT-cl-poly(DMA)), RGO and reduced graphene oxide incorporated gum tragacanth-cl-*N,N*-dimethylacrylamide hydrogel composite (GT-cl-poly(DMA)/RGO) is shown in Figure 3. The RGO formation was confirmed by the characteristic peak at 2θ = 24.3◦ [33]. On applying Bragg's law, the calculated interlayer spacing of RGO was 0.367 nm. Another peak of RGO at 2θ = 43.6◦ corresponded to the fingermark of graphite indicating the regeneration of graphitic onto RGO [34]. According to Scherrer's formula the calculated particle size of RGO at 2θ = 24.3◦ was 0.894 nm. In the case of GT, the diffraction peak occurred

at 2θ = 22.9◦ and 26.2◦, exhibited semi-crystalline in nature [35]. The slight shifting of the peak at 2θ = 26.6◦ in XRD pattern of GT-cl-poly(DMA) hydrogel confirms the crosslinking of DMA with polysaccharide by destroying semi-crystalline structure into the amorphous structure. The broad peak in GT-cl-poly(DMA)/RGO hydrogel composite indicates the poor ordered arrangement of RGO in GT-cl-poly(DMA) hydrogel supported by SEM morphology.

**Figure 3.** X-ray diffraction pattern for gum tragacanth (GT), gum tragacanth-cl-*N,N*-dimethylacrylamide (GT-cl-poly(DMA)) hydrogel, RGO and reduced graphene oxide incorporated gum tragacanth-cl-*N,N*-dimethylacrylamide (GT-cl-poly(DMA)/RGO) hydrogel composite.
