MOLECULAR-WEIGHT OF POLY-N-VINYLSUCCINIMIDE PREPARED FROM AQUEOUS-SOLUTIONS IN THE PRESENCE OF AMMONIUM PERSULFATE ASCORBIC-ACID INITIATINGSYSTEM

A study has been made of the influence of synthesis conditions - tempe rature, concentration of initial system components, and concentration of monomer - on the molecular weight of poly-N-vinylsuccinimide prepar ed by radical polymerization in aqueous solutions in the presence of a mmonium persulfate-ascorbic acid initiating system. Under the conditio ns studied, polymers with molecular weight of 20,000-125,000 are forme d - considerably lower than the molecular weight of polymers prepared from aqueous solution in the presence of ammonium persulfate-sodium su lfite initiating system. This shows that the ammonium persulfate-ascor bic acid initiating system is preferable in preparing poly-N-vinylsucc inimide.