TERPOLYMERIZATION OF ACRYLAMIDE, ACRYLIC-ACID, AND ACRYLONITRILE - SYNTHESIS AND PROPERTIES

Free-radical solution terpolymerization of acrylamide, acrylic acid, a nd acrylonitrile was carried out in a mixture of dimethylformamide and water (60 : 40, v/v) at 85 degrees C using benzoyl peroxide as the in itiator. The polymers were characterized by elemental analysis, IR, H- 1-NMR, TGA, and viscosity measurements. Elemental analysis data were u sed to evaluate the terpolymer composition. The reactivity ratios were determined by Fineman-Ross and Kelen-Tudos methods. The reactivity ra tios (r) for the copolymerization of (1) acrylic acid + acrylonitrile with (2) acrylamide was found to be r(1) = 0.86 +/- 0.09 and r(2) = 1. 93 +/- 0.03, respectively, by the Kelen-Tudos method. The Fineman-Ross method yielded a value of r(1) = 0.86 +/- 0.05 and r(2) = 1.94 +/- 0. 09, respectively. The activation energy values for various stages of d ecomposition were calculated from TGA analysis. Voluminosity (V-E) and the shape factor (nu) were also computed from the viscosity measureme nts in different ratios of the solvent mixture. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.