On the inverse miniemulsion copolymerization and terpolymerization of acrylamide, N, N′-methylenebis(acrylamide) and methacrylic acid

Abstract

The kinetics of free-radical copolymerization and terpolymerization of acrylamide (AAm), N, N′-methylenebis(acrylamide) (MBA) and methacrylic acid (MA) in the inverse water/monomer/cyclohexane/Tween 85 miniemulsion was investigated. Polymerizable sterically-stable miniemulsions were formulated in cyclohexane as a continuous medium. Polymerizations are very fast and reach the final conversion within several minutes. The dependence of the polymerization rate vs. conversion is described by a curve with two nonstationary rate intervals. The maximum rate of polymerization slightly increases with increasing concentration of crosslinking monomer (MBA) and strongly decreases by the addition of MA. The rate of polymerization is inversely proportional to the 0.9th and 1.8th power of the particle concentration without and with MA, respectively. The number of polymer particles is inversely proportional to the 0.18th and 0.13th power of MBA concentration. The kinetic and colloidal parameters of the miniemulsion polymerization are discussed in terms of microemulsion polymerization model.