Polymerization of water soluble cationic vinyl monomers

Abstract

Abstract This paper summarizes investigations on the radical polymerization of cationic vinyl monomers with respect to the peculiarities of the reaction in aqueous solution, the synthesis of model polymers and polyelectrolytes with regular structure as well as to a new process of stabilized precipitation polymerization. The rate of polymerization depends on the ionic strength of the solution. Random copolymers of diallyldimethylammonium chloride and acrylamide with variable charge density but equal molecular weight were synthesized by a feeding technique. Block copolymers consisting of charged and uncharged monomelic units with different hydrophilicity are available using macroazoinitiators. The novel polymers are powerful stabilizers in the precipitation polymerization of water soluble cationic vinyl monomers in aqueous salt solution leading to a dispersion of fine polymer particles. Polyampholytes with alternating positively and negatively charged monomelic units in the backbone were obtained by cyclocopolymerization of diallylanmine compounds and derivatives of maleic acid.