Online monitoring and characterization of the synthesis of DADMAC-DMA cationic copolyelectrolytes
Z. Li, A. M. Alb, “Cationic Copolyelectrolytes: Online Monitoring of the Synthesis and Subsequent Copolymer Characterization”, Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics 2012, DOI: 10.1002/macp.201200098
Abstract
Kinetics of copolymerization reactions of diallyldimethylammonium chloride (DADMAC) and dimethyl acrylamide (DMA) in aqueous solvent is studied, with highlights on features that control many aspects of the polymeric materials behavior throughout and post-synthesis.
The aim of this study was twofold; first, to offer a method to study the impact of the incorporation of the cationic DADMAC on the composition drift, molecular mass of the copolyelectrolyte, and on the polyelectrolyte behavior by monitoring in real time the copolymerization reactions with a neutral monomer under different conditions. Additionally, it was meant to make the transition toward the next step, controlling the reaction kinetics during designed semi-batch experiments designed to achieve the average mass and composition distributions desired
The use of the online monitoring technique to follow DADMAC–DMA copolymerization allowed kinetics of copolymerization reactions of two comonomers with widely different reactivity ratios to be studied. The impact of the incorporation of the cationic DADMAC on the composition drift, molecular mass of the copolyelectrolyte, and on the polyelectrolyte behavior was quantified. This gives an opportunity to control the copolymer composition during designed semi-batch experiments and hence the material properties, according to the desired applications. A quantitative polymer characterization was made by the use of several techniques. The effects of ionic strength and of the composition on the copolymer stiffness and polyelectrolyte behavior were studied and illustrated in the evolution of in A2 and hr, and rationalized through electrostatic persistence length and electrostatic excluded volume effects.
