ELECTROCHEMICAL AND CHEMICAL POLYMERIZATION OF ACRYLAMIDE

In the reported experiments, the electrolysis of the monomer in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) containing (C//4H//9)//4NClO//4 as the supporting electrolyte has been investigated. The polymers were formed in both anode and cathode compartments. The cathodic polymer dissolves in the reaction mixture and the anodic polymer precipitates during the course of polymerization. A plausible mechanism for the anodic and cathodic initiation reaction has been given. The chemical polymerization of acrylamide that has been initiated by HClO//4 is analogous to its anodic polymerization. The polymer yield increases with an increase in concentration of the monomer and HClO//4. Raising the reaction temperature also enhances the polymerization rate. The copolymerization of acrylamide was carried out with methyl methacrylate (MMA) in a solution of HClO//4 in DMF. When the polymerization of acrylamide is carried out with HClO//4 in H//2O, a crosslinked water-insoluble gel formation takes place.