GELATION IN RADICAL POLYMERIZATION OF N-( 2-D-GLUCOSE)ACRYLAMIDE

The mechanism of gelation (in the absence of cross-linking agent) in r adical polymerization of N-(2-D-glucose)acrylamide in aqueous solution s was studied. It was established that gelation was due to pseudo-cros s-links, which arise from self-aggregation of the glucose rings of alp ha-anomer of monomeric N-(2-D-glucose)acrylamide. When the environment al conditions were varied, the gels became non-equilibrium and, conseq uently, non-stable. The structure of pseudo-cross-links in poly[N-(2-D -glucose)acrylamide] gels was suggested to be similar to that in the s tarch gels.