SYNTHESIS OF POLY(AA-CO-AMPS) AND ITS BEHAVIOR VS. PH OF REACTION MEDIA

A new type of super-absorbent polymer has been synthesised and studied . The group of polymers studied were obtained by free radical solution polymerisation of acrylamide and 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulphoni c acid with sodium persulphate used as an initiator. These copolymers were produced at different pH values, and the swelling behaviour in wa ter was studied or, alternatively, viscosity was determined whenever m easurable by conventional viscometry. It was demonstrated that the ext ent of swelling of the copolymers changed at the different values of p H in the reaction solution. Above pH = 5 in the reaction medium the po lymers get solubilised in water, a circumstance in which special atten tion was paid to viscosity measurement. Preliminary interpretation of this behaviour is presented.