Charles L. McCormick, T. Nonaka, C.Brent Johnson
Apr 1, 1988
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Journal
Polymer
Abstract
Copolymers of acrylamide (AM) and N-alkylacrylamides have been prepared by micellar copolymerization in aqueous solution utilizing sodium dodecyl sulphate as a surfactant and potassium persulphate as the initiator. Synthesis, characterization, and copolymerization of the N-alkylacrylamide monomers with eight, ten and twelve carbons on the alkyl substituent are described. Rheological properties have been studied as a function of polymer concentration, electrolyte concentration, temperature and shear rate. A remarkable increase in apparent viscosity observed at low mole fractions of the N-alkylacrylamide in the copolymer occurs at a critical concentration which is a function of length of the alkyl chain in the monomer and copolymer molecular weight. Viscosity behaviour is interpreted in terms of a concentration dependent model involving interchain hydrophobic associations in aqueous solutions.