ACRYLOYLATED ALPHA,BETA-POLY(N-HYDROXYETHYL)-DL-ASPARTAMIDE AND ALPHA,BETA-POLYASPARTHYDRAZIDE - SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION AND RADIATION FORMATION OF POLYMERIC NETWORKS

In the present study the derivatization of two water-soluble and synth etic polymers, such as alpha,beta-poly (N-hydroxyethyl)-DL-aspartamide (PHEA) and alpha,beta-polyasparthydrazide (PAHy); with glycidylmethac rylate (GMA) is described. This reaction allowed the introduction of d ouble bonds in the macromolecular chains of PHEA and PAHy in order to make easier the crosslinking by a radical mechanism. Different paramet ers affected the reaction of derivatization, such as reaction pH, GMA concentration and reaction time. As far as PHEA is concerned the amoun t of GMA linked to the polymer increased until reaching a plateau. On the contrary, the reaction of PAHy with GMA proceeded with a zero orde r kinetics and the GMA amount in the polymer increased regularly. Some aqueous solutions of PHEA-GMA and PAHy-GMA copolymers at various GMA content were submitted to gamma radiation processing, thus obtaining c rosslinked structures. The derivatization of PHEA and PAHy with GMA wa s a convenient method to introduce insaturations in their chains and i t allowed to obtain gels at lower doses with respect to the starting p olymers.