UV-initiated template polymerization and characterization of cationic polyacrylamide

In this study, cationic polyacrylamide P(AM-DAC) initiated by UV was synthesized using PAAS as a template and acrylamide (AM) and acryloyloxyethyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (DAC) as monomers. FTIR, ¹H-NMR, SEM, and DSC-TGA were employed to study the chemical structure and thermal stability of P(AM-DAC). In order to increase the relative molecular weight of P(AM-DAC), the synthetic conditions were studied and optimized by a single-factor experiment. The results showed that a relative molecular weight for P(AM-DAC) of up to 5.33 million was attained under the following conditions: DAC concentration, 25%; initiator A concentration, 0.065%; pH, 4.5; UV lamp power, 500 W; and UV irradiation time, 60 min. It was demonstrated that the P(AM-DAC) prepared in this study was a copolymer of AM and DAC with a micro-block structure found at the molecular chain, and with plenty of nonuniform concave-convex structures on the surface. Overall, it presented good thermal stability between 30 and 200℃.