Aqueous dispersion polymerization of acrylamide with quaternary ammonium cationic comonomer

Abstract Using aqueous solution of ammonium sulfate as medium, acrylamide (AM) and dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate methyl chloride (DMC) as main raw materials, poly(dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate methyl chloride) (PDMC) as stabilizer and 2,2′‐azobis (2‐amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (V‐50) as initiator, the cationic polyelectrolyte of P(DMC‐AM) was synthesized by aqueous dispersion polymerization. The effects of the major reaction variables on synthesis conditions, product characteristics (particle size and molecular weight), and polymerization rate were investigated. The polymerization was retarded by the presence of the ammonium sulfate. The optimum reaction conditions for obtaining a stable aqueous dispersion were concentrations of 1.8 × 10−4–7.0 × 10−4mol L−1for V‐50, 1.5–3.5% for stabilizer, and 23.2–30.0% for salt. The molecular weight of PDMC formed was 1.5 × 105to 7.0 × 105. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008