Synthesis and flocculation performance of graft copolymer of <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>?-vinylformamide and poly(dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) methyl chloride macromonomer

 A comb-structured polymeric flocculant was synthesized by the aqueous copolymerization of N-vinylformamide (NVF) with poly(dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) quats (methyl chloride) macromonomer. The effects of temperature and macromonomer concentration on the copolymerization kinetics were determined experimentally. The copolymerization reactivity ratio was measured to be 3.82 and 6.39 for NVF and macromonomers with 50 and 100 repeating units when copolymerized with NVF. The copolymer samples were also subjected to a flocculation performance test and were found to be more effective than linear random cationic copolymers in terms of cationic content, flocculation rate, final turbidity levels, and floc strength. Received: 11 June 2001 Accepted: 9 August 2001