Synthesis of N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate copolymers with N-vinyl caprolactam and their complexing and flocculating behavior

Thermosensitive copolymers of N-vinyl carprolactam with N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate have been synthesized via free-radical polymerization, and reactivity ratios in dioxane have been estimated as 2.44 and 0.07, respectively. It has been shown that temperatures of phase separation for 1% aqueous solutions of homopolymers are close and remain virtually unchanged with the copolymer composition. The efficiency of flocculating behavior of copolymers with respect to a polystyrene latex has been estimated from the initial rate of flocculation as a function of the polyelectrolyte concentration in an acidic medium.