Aqueous‐Phase Copolymerization of N‐Vinylpyrrolidone and N‐Vinylformamide

Abstract Aqueous‐phase batch free‐radical copolymerization of NVP and NVF is studied at 60 and 85 °C with varying initial monomer mixture compositions and monomer to water ratios. The rate of monomer conversion is found to increase with increasing NVP molar fraction and with decreasing total monomer concentration, in accordance with the expected behavior based on homopolymerization kinetics. The copolymer composition is equal to the initial comonomer composition, indicating monomer reactivity ratios to be unity. A terminal copolymerization model provides a good description of polymerization rate, copolymer composition, and polymer molar mass distributions using the same kinetic rate coefficients as used to previously describe the homopolymerization of the two monomers.