Crosslinked poly(Acrylamide-co-calcium methacrylate) superabsorbent copolymers [Poly(AAm-co-CMA)] were prepared by free-radical copolymerization in aqueous solution of acrylamide (AAm) with calcium methacrylate (CMA) in presence of a crosslinker [N,N-1-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA), 1,2-ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA), or diallyl phthalate (DP)] using ammonium persulphate-N,N,N-1,N-1-tetramethylethylenediamine (APS-TMEDA) redox initiator. The influence of relative content of CMA on the swelling ratio of the crosslinked copolymer was examined. The equilibrium swelling ratio (S-eq) of crosslinked poly(AAm-co-CMA) superabsorbent copolymers was found in between 13-111 g/g, 14-92 g/g, and 12-33 g/g for superabsorbent copolymers crosslinked by DP, EGDMA, and MBA, respectively. Percentage equilibrium water content (EWC%) of crosslinked superabsorbent copolymers was found in between 92.51 and 99.11%. The calculated theoretical equilibrium swelling ratio (TSeq) and equilibrium swelling ratio (S-eq) of these superabsorbent copolymers were in good agreement. Water intake of superabsorbent copolymers crosslinked by DP followed non-Fickian type diffusion, while EGDMA and MBA crosslinked superabsorbent copolymers followed Fickian type diffusion. Further, the influence of pH of the medium on swelling behavior of crosslinked superabsorbent copolymers was also investigated. Thermal stability and morphology of these poly(AAm-co-CMA) superabsorbent copolymers were also studied in detail. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.