Solid state polymerization of acrylamide initiated by gamma radiation

Abstract

Abstract The solid‐state polymerization of acrylamide, both in a radiation field and after removal from the field, is shown to proceed by an unusual kinetic mechanism. The usual steady state assumption is found to be inadequate because there seems to be no free radical termination (in the normal sense) involved. These results are consistent with the view that the solid‐state polymerization proceeds by a nucleation mechanism in which the free radicals are probably trapped by overlapping of the reactive sites.