REDOX POLYMERIZATION OF ACRYLAMIDE BY POLYMER-SUPPORTED VANADIUM (V) ION

Macroreticular glycidyl methacrylate-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (G MA-EGDM) copolymers of controlled particle size were synthesized by su spension polymerization. The copolymer beads were derivatized to incor porate di- and tetracarboxylic acid functionalities. Vanadium (V) ion was chelated on the modified copolymers. The vanadium chelated copolym ers were used in combination with cyclohexanone as redox reagent for t he free radical polymerization of acrylamide at 30 degrees C. The mole cular weights of the polyacrylamide were significantly higher than tha t prepared by a soluble vanadium (V) ion - cyclohexanone homogeneous r edox initiator pair. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.