Synthesis and characterization of graft copolymer (alginate-g-poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide))

 The graft copolymerization of N,N-dimethylacrylamide onto alginate by free radical polymerization using potassium peroxymonosulphate-sarbose as a redox pair in an inert atmosphere was investigated. The reaction conditions for maximum grafting have been optimized by varying the reaction variables, including the concentration of N,N-dimethylacrylamide (7 × 10^-2 mol/L to 23 × 10^-2 mol/L), potassium peroxymonosulphate (2 × 10^-3 mol/L to 18 × 10^-3 mol/L), sarbose (0.4 × 10^-3 mol/L to 3.4 × 10^-3 mol/L), sulphuric acid (1 × 10^-3 mol/L to 8 × 10^-3 mol/L) and alginic acid (0.4 g/L to 1.8 g/L) along with time duration (60 min to 180 min) and temperature (25^oC to 45^oC). Water swelling capacity, metal ion sorption and flocculation studies of the synthesized graft copolymer have been performed. The graft copolymer has been characterized by FTIR spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis.