Microwave-assisted living radical polymerization of acrylamide copolymer

The atom-transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of acrylamide (AM) and 3-dimethyl (3-(N-methacrylamido) propyl) ammonium propane sulfonate (DMMPPS) was successfully carried out in aqueous solution under microwave irradiation. The structure of the resulting polymer was analyzed by IR spectrometry. Its terminal-Cl group confirms that the copolymerization process belongs to atom transfer radical (ATRP) polymerization. With the initiator concentration increasing, the polymerization rate increases, but at higher initiator concentration, the molecular weight decreases. With increase of the catalyst concentration, the conversion and molecular weight both increase to the maximum and then decrease. Compared to results (kpapp=2.9×10-4s-1) of conventional heating method under the same reaction condition, the apparent rate constant (kpapp ≥ 6.2×10-4s-1) under microwave radiation is higher.