EMULSION COPOLYMERIZATION OF ACRYLAMIDE W ITH MALEINIC ACID IN THE PRESENCE OF SODIUM-ACETATE

Polarography was used to study free-radical copolymerization of acryla mide with maleinic acid ([acrylamide] : [maleinic acid] = 7 : 3) as 50 % water solutions emulsified in toluene (water : toluene = 1 : 4, emul sifier - sorbital C-20, initiator - potassium persulphate) in the pres ence of sodium acetate; T = 50-degrees-C, helium atmosphere. Extreme f orm of the dependencies of initial rates of copolymerization and consu mption of acrylamide and maleinic acid and also of intrinsic viscosity of the copolymers formed on the concentration of sodium acetate were found out. The copolymer composition changes with the concentration of sodium acetate. The data obtained are explained both by the formation of a complex between sodium acetate and macromolecules with terminal amide units and by the change of conformations of the copolymer macrom olecules depending on the content of sodium acetate.