Kinetic Study of Polymerization Isopropylacrylamide in Aqueous Solution

Abstract

An experimental of kinetics investigation of the solution free radical polymerization of isopropylacrylamide (IPAM) initiated with potassium persulfate (PPS) was conducted. The reactions were carried out at constant temperature of 60 °C in distilled water under unstirred and inert conditions. Using the well-known conversion vs. time technique, the effects of initiator and monomer concentration on the rate of polymerization (Rp) were investigated over a wide range. Under the conditions of our work, the orders 0.38 and 1.68 were found with respect to initiator and monomer, respectively. However, the rate of polymerization (Rp) is not straight forwardly corresponding monomer concentration. The value 46.11 kJ mol -1 was determined as the overall activation energy of polymerization, which is not satisfactory with the value of most thermal initiated monomers. Rp for IPAM in dimethyl formamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, and distilled water using PPS as initiator at 60 o C, was checked. An increase in solvent polarity has slightly increased (Rp) value. The effect of using different concentrations of PPS 0.001, 0.002, 0.003 and 0.004 mol dm -3 , on the average degree of polymerization (DPn), was also studied, based on viscosity results obtained using distilled water at 20 o C. The results revealed that an increase in the initiator concentration has an effect in lowering (DP) values.