Water-soluble copolymers. IX. Copolymers of acrylamide with N-(1,1-dimethyl-3-oxybutyl)acrylamide and N,N-dimethylacrylamide: Synthesis and characterization

The copolymerizations of acrylamide (AM) with N-(1,1-dimethyl-3-oxybutyl)acrylamide (DAAM) and with N,N-dimethylacrylamide (DMAM) have been studied. The values of r₁,r₂ have been determined to be 0.75 for the AM-DAAM pair and 0.86 for the AM-DMAM pair. The molecular weights of the copolymers were found to decrease with an increase in the feed composition of DAAM or DMAM. The microstructure was predicted for a wide range of feed compositions through a knowledge of reactivity ratios. These model structures are utilized for assessment of structure/dilute solution relationships reported in a subsequent paper in this series.     

Synthesis and aqueous solution properties of hydrophobically modified anionic acrylamide copolymers

In this investigation, hydrophobically modified polyacrylamide with low amounts of anionic long‐chain alkyl was synthesized by the free radical polymerization in deionized water. This water‐soluble copolymerization method is more convenient compared with the traditional micellar copolymerization methods. The copolymers were characterized using Fourier transform infrared, ¹H NMR, and the molecular weight and polydispersity were determined using gel permeation chromatography. The solution behavior of the copolymers was studied as a function of composition, pH, and added electrolytes. As NaCl was added to solutions of AM/C₁₁AM copolymers or pH was lowered, the shielding or elimination of electrostatic repulsions between carboxylate groups of the C₁₁AM unit lead to coil shrinkage. The steady shear viscosity and dynamic shear viscoelastic properties in semidilute, salt‐free aqueous solutions were conducted to examine the concentration effects on copolymers. In addition, the shear superimposed oscillation technique was used to probe the structural changes of the network under various stresses or shear conditions. We prepared hydrophobically modified polyacrylamide with N‐alkyl groups in the aqueous medium. The advantage of this method is that the production is pure without surfactants. These results suggest that the unique aqueous solution behavior of the copolymers is different from conventional hydrophobically associating acrylamide. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 46: 2465–2474, 2008     

Water‐soluble acrylamide copolymers. VI. Preparation and characterization of poly[N,N‐dimethylacrylamide‐co‐acrylamide] and control polyacrylamides

This article describes the first of a new series of preparations of water‐soluble acrylamide, substituted acrylamide copolymers and related homopolymers. Objectives of this work were to measure the progressive influence on the hydrodynamic volume and other properties contributed by incorporation of N,N‐dimethylacrylamide (DMA) into a series of high molecular weight acrylamide copolymers. Traditional photoacoustic Fourier transform infrared, ¹³C NMR, and elemental analysis were used for primary characterization. A series of tests using viscometric, gel permeation, chromatographic, and multiangle laser light scattering methods were then used to measure the hydrodynamic volumes of the products. Copolymers incorporating 14, 23, 43, and 63 mol percent DMA with molecular weights of greater than 5 × 10⁶ g/mol were obtained with yields of better than 70%. Aqueous solutions of these polymers showed little or no decrease in radii of gyration or intrinsic viscosity when low concentrations of sodium chloride were added, in contrast to its effect on solutions of polyacrylamide itself. For the copolymers, higher values were obtained for < r_g > and [η], than were observed for acrylamide homopolymers of comparable molecular weight. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 3128–3145, 2000     

Water-soluble copolymers. III. Dextran-g-poly(acrylamides) control of grafting sites and molecular weight by Ce(IV)-induced initiation in homogeneous solutions

Model graft copolymers were synthesized by grafting acrylamide onto dextran (M_w = 500,000) utilizing an initiation method in which a Ce(IV)/HNO₃ solution was added to the dextran solution in order to allow coplexation prior to monomer addition. Three synthetic reaction parameters were optimized on the basis of conversion and solution viscosity: monomer concentration, dextran concentration, and nitric acid concentration. Molar ratios of [Ce(IV)]/[dextran] were changed systematically to affect the number and length of the acrylamide grafts. The number of grafting sites and graft chain lengths, determined by selective hydrolysis of the carbohydrate backbone, were in good agreement with those theortically predicted from knowledge of initiation efficiency and monomer conversion. Rheological studies of the model graft copolymers were conducted in aqueous solutions as a function of temperature, added salt, and copolymer concentration.     

Preparation of hydrophobically-modified acrylamide copolymers using poly(ethylene imine) as a photoinitiator and its performance evaluation in Bohai oilfield

This paper presents copolymers of acrylamide, N,N-dimethyl-N-vinylnonadecan-1-ammonium chloride and N-(2,4-dimethylpentan-2-yl) acrylamide synthesized by photopolymerization using modified poly(ethylene imine) as initiator in water. These hydrophobically modified acrylamide copolymers were dissolved in the brine that was used in enhanced oil recovery in Bohai oilfield. It was found that when the content of N-(2,4-dimethylpentan-2-yl) acrylamide and N,N-dimethyl-N-vinylnonadecan-1-ammonium chloride were 0.1 mol % and 0.3 mol %, respectively, the resulting polymer could meet the demand of solution time and the polymer mechanical shear stability required in Bohai oilfield. The solution properties of synthesized copolymers were compared with the hydrophobically modified polymer currently used in enhanced oil recovery in Bohai oilfield.     

Graft copolymerisation of acrylamide onto cashew gum

The synthesis of cashew gum-g-polyacrylamide was carried out at 60 °C by a radical polymerisation using potassium persulphate as the redox initiator under N₂ atmosphere. A series of graft copolymers, varying in acrylamide concentration and keeping the concentration of the initiator and polysaccharide constant, was prepared. These graft copolymers were characterised by elemental analysis, infrared and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, rheological studies, differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis. Comparisons amongst grafting parameters of the reaction of various natural polysaccharides with polyacrylamide (PAM) were carried out. High percentages of acrylamide conversion (%C) and grafting efficiency (%E) were obtained for cashew gum (CG), even with a low acrylamide/gum ratio. All copolymers had intrinsic viscosity and thus the hydrodynamic volume much higher than the CG value and closer to the PAM. The CG-g-PAM solution had an absolute viscosity at 2.5% concentration (wt./vol.) up to 33 and 3.3 times the CG and PAM values, respectively. Grafting of PAM chains onto the polysaccharide enhances its thermal stability.     

Water-soluble copolymers. XLII. Cationic polyelectrolytes of acrylamide and 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanetrimethylammonium chloride

The new monomer 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanetrimethylammonium chloride (AMP-TAC, M₂) has been synthesized. Free radical copolymerization with acrylamide (AM, M₁) in feed ratios varying from 10 to 50 mol % AMPTAC gave the cationic ATAM series. Copolymer compositions were determined from ¹³C-NMR. The reactivity ratio product r₁r₂ was found to be 0.62. Molecular weights varied from 1.4 to 16.5 × 10⁶ g/mol for the copolymers. Turbidimetric studies showed aqueous solutions of the copolymers to be phase stable in the presence of CaCl₂ and Na₂CO₃ up to 100°C. Solution behavior was independent of pH in the range of 3 to 11, and temperature in the range of 25 to 60°C. Intrinsic viscosities of the cationic copolymers decreased with the addition of electrolytes; however, some samples showed curvature in plots of intrinsic viscosity versus the inverse square root of ionic strength. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Methanol‐induced change of the mechanism of the temperature‐ and pressure‐induced collapse of N‐Substituted acrylamide copolymers

The solvation of two differently composed linear statistical copolymers from N,N‐diethyl acrylamide (DEAm) and N‐isopropyl acrylamide is studied by Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy. The solvent is changed from pure water to mixtures with methanol to investigate the cononsolvency effect. Furthermore, the influence of temperature and pressure is studied. The IR results are interpreted by sub‐band fitting of the amide I' band and quantum–chemical calculations. There are significant differences between the two copolymers that cannot be explained by a weighted superposition of the homopolymer spectra. An excess of DEAm units leads to a high number of nonsolvated side chains already in pure water. This high number is reached for equimolar copolymers only when methanol is added. The mechanism of the temperature‐ or pressure‐induced phase transition changes upon methanol addition for both copolymers. Generally, the phenomena are deduced to cooperativity at equimolar composition that is perturbed by methanol. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2015 , 53, 532–544     

Water-soluble copolymers. XXV. Ion-binding studies of N-substituted acrylamide copolymers using potentiometric and spectroscopic methods

Spectroscopic and potentiometric methods have been used to study the ionic properties of several N-substituted acrylamide copolymers that display unusual ion-binding character. The ionic groups and the amide groups (both on the same repeating unit and on adjacent acrylamide units) in the copolymers are found to chelate calcium ions. The stabilizing effect of this amide chelation is found to be dependent on copolymer composition. A model is proposed to explain the unusual binding behavior of the acrylamide polymers. This involves the formation of an intramonomer chelate or one with neighboring acrylamide units that prevent precipitation of the polymers.     

Analysis and study of novel terpolymers composed of acrylamide, mono-charged and double-charged cationic monomers

The composition of novel terpolymers containing acrylamide (A), acryloyloxyethyltrimethylammonium chloride (Q), and bis-1,3(N,N,N-trimethylammonium)-2-propylmethacrylate dichloride (M) was analyzed combining FTIR and potentiometric titration. Calibration with A–Q and A–M copolymers of known composition was the prerequisite for the quantitative analysis of the terpolymers by FTIR. The analysis revealed deviations from the initial monomer feed composition resulting from different monomer reactivity. The differences became more pronounced when M increased in the feed. This suggests lowest reactivity for M. Lower intrinsic viscosity [η] for higher fraction of M in the feed confirmed the suggestion. The low reactivity results from the electrostatic influence of the two charges of M on the chain propagation, yielding shorter chains for more double-charged M in the monomer feed. For all terpolymers, the counterion activity was lower than theoretically expected and did not correlate with the average charge density. Heterogeneous charge distribution was hypothesized as the reason.     

Novel thermoresponsive fluorinated double‐hydrophilic poly{[N‐(2,2‐difluoroethyl)acrylamide]‐b‐[N‐(2‐fluoroethyl)acrylamide]} block copolymers

Novel thermoresponsive double‐hydrophilic fluorinated block copolymers were successfully synthesized by reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. Poly[N‐(2,2‐difluoroethyl)acrylamide] (P2F) was synthesized via RAFT polymerization of N‐(2,2‐difluoroethyl)acrylamide (M2F) using 2‐dodecylsulfanylthiocarbonylsulfanyl‐2‐methylpropionic acid (DMP) as the chain transfer agent (CTA) and 2,2′‐azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as the initiator. The resulting P2F macroCTA was further chain extended with N‐(2‐fluoroethyl)acrylamide (M1F) to yield poly{[N‐(2,2‐difluoroethyl)acrylamide]‐b‐[N‐(2‐fluoroethyl)acrylamide]} (P2F‐b‐P1F) block copolymers with different lengths of the P1F block. Molecular weight and molecular weight distribution were determined by gel permeation chromatography. The average molecular weight (M_n) of the resulting polymers ranged from 2.9 × 10⁴ to 5.8 × 10⁴ depending on the length of the P1F block. The molecular weight distribution was low (M_w/M_n = 1.11–1.19). Turbidimetry by UV‐Visble (UV‐Vis) spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, and in situ temperature‐dependent ¹H NMR measurements demonstrated that the P2F block underwent a thermal transition from hydrophilic to hydrophobic, which in turn induced self‐assembly from unimers to aggregates. Transmission electron microscopy studies demonstrated that polymeric aggregates formed from an aqueous solution of P2F‐b‐P1F at 60 °C were disrupted by cooling down to 20 °C and regenerated by heating to 60 °C. Temperature‐triggered release of a model hydrophobic drug, coumarin 102, was also demonstrated. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

Copolymerization of cationic monomers with acrylamide in an aqueous solution

The radical copolymerizations of commercially available cationic monomers (M₁) with acrylamide (M₂) have been investigated at pH 6.1 in aqueous solutions. The cationic groups in copolymers were analyzed by a colloid titration method and the reactivity ratios were determined by the Fineman–Ross method. The values of r₁ and r₂ were 1.71 and 0.25 for methacryloyloxyethyltrimethylammonium chloride? M₂, 1.68 and 1.26 for N,N-dimethylaminoethylmethacrylate? M₂, 1.13 and 0.57 for methacrylamidopropyltrimethylammonium chloride? M₂, 1.10 and 0.47 for N,N-dimethylaminopropylmethacrylate? M₂, 0.47 and 0.95 for N,N-dimethylaminopropylacrylamide? M₂, 0.48 and 0.64 for acryloyloxyethyltrimethylammonium chloride-M₂, and 0.58 and 6.7 for dimethyldiallylammonium chloride-M₂ systems. The Alfrey-Price Q and e values were calculated and the linear relationship between log Q and ultraviolet absorption maxima of cationic monomers was found.     

2,6‐Diaminopyridine and Acrylamide‐Based Copolymers with Upper Critical Solution Temperature‐type Behavior in Aqueous Solution

A novel copolymer based on supramolecular motif 2,6‐diaminopyridine and water‐soluble acrylamide, poly[N‐(6‐acetamidopyridin‐2‐yl) acrylamide‐co‐acrylamide], was synthesized via reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization with various monomer compositions. The thermoresponsive behavior of the copolymers was studied by turbidimetry and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The obtained copolymers showed an upper critical solution temperature (UCST)‐type phase transition behavior in water and electrolyte solution. The phase transition temperature was found to increase with decreasing amount of acrylamide in the copolymer and increasing concentration of the solution. Furthermore, the phase transition temperature varied in aqueous solutions of electrolytes according to the nature and concentration of the electrolyte in accordance with the Hoffmeister series. A dramatic solvent isotope effect on the transition temperature was observed in this study, as the transition temperature was almost 10–12 °C higher in D₂O than in H₂O at the same concentration and acrylamide composition. The size of the aggregates below the transition temperature was larger in D₂O compared to that in H₂O that can be explained by deuterium isotope effect. The thermoresponsive behavior of the copolymers was also investigated in different cell medium and found to be exhibited UCST‐type phase transition behavior in different cell medium. Such behavior of the copolymers can be useful in many applications including biomedical, microfluidics, optical materials, and in drug delivery. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, 2064–2073     

Water-soluble polymers. 71. pH responsive behavior of terpolymers of sodium acrylate,acrylamide, and the zwitterionic monomer 4-(2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanedimethylammonio)butanoate

Terpolymers of sodium acrylate (NaA), acrylamide (AM), and the zwitterionic monomer 4-(2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanedimethylammonio) butanoate (AMPDAB) were prepared by the free radical polymerization in 0.5M NaBr aqueous solution using potassium persulfate as the initiator. The feed ratio of AMPDAB : NaA : AM was varied from 5 : 5 : 90 to 40 : 40 : 20 mol %, with the total monomer concentration held constant at 0.45M. Terpolymer compositions were determined by ¹³C NMR. Molecular weights varied from 3.0 × 10⁵ to 9.7 × 10⁶ g/mol. All terpolymers were soluble in deionized water and salt solutions at all pH values. The dilute and semidilute solution behavior of the terpolymers was studied as a function of composition, pH, and added electrolytes. Polyelectrolyte behavior was observed for all terpolymers at pH 8.5, as evidenced by high viscosity values at low polymer concentrations and viscosity decrease in the presence of added electrolytes. The reduced viscosity as a function of decreasing pH exhibits a minimum as the terpolymer undergoes a polyanion/polyzwitterion/polycation transition. Comparison of the solution behavior of the terpolymers to terpolymers of 3-(2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane dimethylammonio)-1-propane sulfonate (AMPDAPS), AM, and NaA (AADAPS series) as well as copolymers of AMPDAB and AM (AMPDAB series) have been made. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Electrochemical and chemical polymerization of acrylamide

The electrochemical and chemical polymerization of acrylamide (AA) has been studied. The electrolysis of the monomer in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) containing (C₄H₉)₄NClO₄ as the supporting electrolyte leads to polymer formation 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 HClO₄ is analogous to its anodic polymerization. The polymer yield increases with an increase in concentration of the monomer and HClO₄. Raising the reaction temperature also enhances the polymerization rate. The overall apparent activation energy of the polymerization was determined to be ca. 19 kcal/mole. The copolymerization of acrylamide was carried out with methyl methacrylate (MMA) in a solution of HClO₄ in DMF. The reactivity ratios are r₁ (AA) = 0.25 and r₂ = 2.50. The polymerization with HClO₄ appears to be by a free radical mechanism. When the polymerization of acrylamide is carried out with HClO₄ in H₂O, a crosslinked water-insoluble gel formation takes place.     

Water-soluble copolymers. XII. Copolymers of acrylamide with sodium-3-acrylamido-3-methylbutanoate: Synthesis and characterization

The copolymerization of acrylamide (AM) with sodium-3-acrylamido-3-methylbutanoate (NaAMB) has been studied. The value of r₁r₂ has been determined to be 0.56 for the AM–NaAMB pair. The molecular weights of the copolymers were relatively unaffected by monomer feed ratios. The copolymer microstructures, including run numbers and sequence distributions, were calculated from the reactivity ratios. The solution properties of the AM–NaAMB copolymers, as well as the NaAMB homopolymer, will be reported in a subsequent paper.     

High molecular weight polyacrylamides by atom transfer radical polymerization: Enabling advancements in water‐based applications

Through the use of copper (I) chloride (CuCl) and tris(2‐dimethylaminoethyl)amine (Me₆‐TREN) as a metal/ligand pair, conditions for the robust, fast, and controlled radical polymerization of high molecular weight N‐hydroxyethylacrylamide (HEAm),N‐isopropylacrylamide (NIPAm), N,N′‐dimethylacrylamide (DMAm), and acrylamide (Am) at ambient temperature are reported. Linear evolution of molecular weight and narrow molecular weight distribution was observed for all monomers with degrees of polymerization ranging from 50 to 5000. Random copolymers of several acrylamide‐based monomers are also reported with excellent control over molecular weight and polydispersity. Characterization of high molecular weight poly (NIPAm) demonstrated large changes in the lower critical solution temperature observed on heating and cooling, and this hysteresis was exploited for the controlled release of doxorubicin from poly(NIPAm) spheres. This study represents the first example of preparation of high molecular weight acrylamide polymers by a metal‐mediated controlled radical polymerization technique. Access to these materials, as well as to NIPAm polymers in particular, opens new doors for interesting applications in a variety of fields including tissue engineering, drug delivery, and controlled solution viscosity. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

Water-soluble copolymers. XIII. Copolymers of acrylamide with sodium-3-acrylamido-3-methylbutanoate: Solution properties

Dilute solution properties of copolymers of acrylamide (AM) with sodium-3-acrylamido-3-methylbutanoate (NaAMB) of known molecular weight have been studied as a function of composition, temperature, time, pH, and added electrolytes. Phase separation and potentiometric studies have also been performed. The AM–NaAMB copolymers exhibit high solution viscosities, good salt tolerance, and moderate viscosity-temperature coefficients. In addition, these copolymers exhibit no phase separation in the presence of divalent cations as is common with many such carboxylated polyelectrolytes. These properties are due to favorable conformations in solution resulting from microstructure and hydrogen bonding effects.     

Phase transition of aqueous solutions of poly(N,N-diethylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) by differential scanning calorimetric and spectrophotometric methods

 The phase transition of aqueous solutions of poly(N,N-diethylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) (DEAAm–AA) is studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and UV–vis spectrophotometry. The copolymer aqueous solutions are shown to have well-defined lower critical solution temperatures (LCSTs). The LCST values obtained from the maximum of the first derivatives of the DSC and optical transition curves agree well. DSC can be used to measure the phase-transition temperature of more dilute polymer solutions. On increasing the AA composition in the copolymers, the LCST values of the copolymer increase, then decrease at higher AA composition. For the aqueous solution of the copolymers, the transition curve obtained by the spectrophotometric method is highly wavelength dependent. The LCST values are found to be concentration-dependent. The changes in the heat of the phase transition of the copolymer solutions measured from DSC are lower than that of the homopolymer PDEAAm solution. This is consistent with the suggestion that the polymer chains of the copolymers collapsed only partially at temperatures above the LCST. The added salt (sodium chloride) decreases the transition temperature of the polymer solution. Received: 14 November 2000 Accepted: 15 January 2001     

Polymerization and copolymerization of an isocyanate blocking agent. N-(1,1′-dimethyl-3-oxobutyl) acrylamide oxime. Mechanical and thermal properties

The bulk polymerization and copolymerization of N-(1,1′-dimethyl-3-oxobutyl) acrylamide oxime have been studied. Polymerization of diacetone acrylamide oxime was carried out with different initiating systems. The rate of polymerization of diacetone acrylamide oxime with azoisobutyronitrile as the initiating system was much higher than with peroxides. However, in the case of perester initiating systems (t-butyl perbenzoate and t-butyl per ethyl-2-hexanoate), cobalt salt promoted the polymerization rate markedly. Diacetone acrylamide oxime readily formed copolymers with a variety of comonomers (crosslinking agents and reactive diluents). Gel permeation chromatography has shown a higher reactivity of diacetone acrylamide oxime with trimethylol propane trimethacrylate as crosslinking agent and N-vinyl-pyrrolidone as reactive diluent. Therefore, the dynamic mechanical analyses presented an increase in T_g with trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate and N-vinyl-pyrrolidone as comonomers. The terpolymer formed with diacetone acrylamide oxime, trinethylolpropane trimethacrylate, and N-vinyl-pyrrolidone exhibited interesting mechanical properties and high temperature behavior.