Influence of d-metals as activators of potassium persulfate decomposition in the polymerization of acrylamide

Abstract

Polyacrylamide gel has a number of advantages that determine its widespread use. It is transparent, chemically stable, inert, resistant to changes in pH and temperature, insoluble in most solvents, and, finally, it is practically devoid of adsorption and electroosmosis. The main method of synthesis of polymers based on acrylamide and other unsaturated amides is radical polymerization. In previous works we investigated the effect of various activators on the decomposition of potassium persulfate in the process of initiating polymerization of acrylamide, and as a consequence – the effect on the kinetics of this process and the average molar mass of the resulting product. In connection with the above, we conducted studies of the kinetics of polymerization of an aqueous solution of acrylamide using various salts of d -metals as components of the redox system for initiating radical polymerization (potassium persulfate in the presence of cobalt (II) chloride, iron (II) sulfate and silver (I) nitrate) at different temperatures. The reaction mixture was heated to a given temperature and polymerization was carried out in a water thermostat to small stages of dispersion by the dilatometry method.