Radical Copolymerization of Sodium 2-Acrylamido-2-Methylpropane Sulfonate and Sodium Acrylate in Water-Alcohol Solutions

The effect of the nature of a solvent on the kinetic parameters of the process and the intrinsic viscosities of copolymers formed by the homogeneous free-radical copolymerization of the sodium salt of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid and the sodium salt of acrylic acid initiated by potassium per-sulfate in water, water-methanol mixtures (92 : 8, 84 : 16, 75 : 25, 50 : 50), and water-isopropanol (50 : 50) mixtures at pH 9 and 60 degrees C is studied. The initial rate of copolymerization increases with increases in the concentrations of the comonomers and initiator, the content of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid in the initial monomer mixture, and the content of water in a water-methanol mixture and in the sequence of solvents water-methanol < water-isopropanol. The intrinsic viscosity and yield of the copolymer grow when the content of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid in the initial monomer mixture and water in water-methanol mixtures are increased and when isopropanol is replaced with methanol. The reactivity ratios of the monomers in water-methanol (50 : 50) and water-isopropanol (50 : 50) mixtures are determined.