Synthesis,characterization, and ion exchange voltammetry study on 2‐acrylamido‐2‐methylpropane sulphonic acid and N‐(hydroxymethyl) acrylamide‐based copolymer

A random copolymer of 2‐acrylamido‐2‐methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS) and N‐hydroxymethyl acrylamide (NHMA) was prepared by solution polymerization using ceric ammonium nitrate as an initiator. A grade of poly(AMPS)‐co‐poly(NHMA) (PAMPS‐co‐PNHMA) random copolymer was synthesized with AMPS and NHMA. The homopolymerization of AMPS and NHMA was also carried out by the same way as that of random copolymer. PAMPS‐co‐PNHMA and homopolymers of AMPS and NHMA were characterized by FTIR, rheology, FT‐NMR, scanning electron microscope, thermal analysis, and X‐ray diffaractometry. Cyclic voltammetry is used to explain the ion exchange properties of PAMPS‐co‐PNHMA and its possible application in the trace analysis. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011