Preparation and thermal study of polymers derived from acrylamide

Polyacrylamide (PAA) and some of its N-alkyl substituted derivatives have b een synthesised and characterised using thermal analysis. Thermal stability was studied by thermogravimetry (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to determine the glass transition temperatures (T-g) The re sults showed an increase in degradation temperature (T-d) as the hydrogens of the amide nitrogen were replaced by alkyl groups. An opposite tendency w as verified for T-g values. The observed increase in T-d values is discusse d in terms of the formation of an intermediate ion in the degradation, whil e the decrease in T-g values is discussed in terms of polymer-polymer inter actions such as hydrogen bonds. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights r eserved.