Abstract: | Gel-free cyclopolymerization of N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide has been carried out using potassium peroxodiphosphate (PDP) as initiator in combination with different activators such as mercaptosuccinic acid (MSA) and thioglycollic acid (TGA) in an inert atmosphere at 45 ± 1°C and 40 ± 1°C, respectively. The rate of polymerization was found proportional to the first power of the monomer and activator concentration and the half-power of PDP in both redox systems. A mechanism involving cyclopolymerization in the propagation path has been proposed. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. |