Preparation and characterization of poly(acrylamide‐co‐acrylic acid)

Abstract

Abstract A series of samples of the acrylamide/acrylic acid system with various compositions was prepared by copolymerization as well as saponification, and some new results on the kinetics of both processes are given. The products were characterized by osmometry, viscometry, GPC, DTA, and elemental analysis. The results led to the conclusion that copolymerisation and saponification lead to copolymers of identical sequential distribution of the monomeric units. It was found that the intrinsic viscosity as well as the slope factor k H · [η] 2 —measured in 0,5 m NaBr solution—show a maximum at intermediate comonomer composition. This finding can be interpreted by chain stiffening due to intramolecular segmental interaction.