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Free‐Radical Polymerization of N ‐Vinylimidazole and Quaternized Vinylimidazole in Aqueous Solution
Author(s) -
Santanakrishnan Sandhya,
Hutchinson Robin A.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
macromolecular chemistry and physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.57
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1521-3935
pISSN - 1022-1352
DOI - 10.1002/macp.201300044
Subject(s) - chemistry , polymerization , monomer , polymer chemistry , radical polymerization , aqueous solution , organic chemistry , polymer
Aqueous‐phase free‐radical batch polymerizations of N ‐vinylimidazole (NVI) and quaternized N ‐vinylimidazole (QVI) are conducted with varying initial monomer and initiator concentrations at 70 and 85 °C. The polymerization rate of NVI is very slow at the natural pH of 9 due to degradative radical addition to monomer. The rates are increased by lowering the pH, wherein the degradative addition to NVI monomer is partially (at pH 4) and completely (at pH 1) hindered, with the polymerization rate matching that of QVI at pH 1. The initial rates of polymerization for both NVI and QVI are independent of temperature. A kinetic model developed in Predici that includes the pH‐dependent side reactions can reasonably represent both QVI and NVI polymerization.