| Abstract: | Poly(vinyl alcohol)-g-polyacrylamide composites have been prepared by γ-radiation-initiated polymerization of acrylamide (AAm) in the presence of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) in aqueous medium by the mutual method in air. Percentage conversion of AAm has been studied as a function of total dose, monomer concentration, and amount of water. Optimum conditions leading to maximum percent conversion of the monomer to give the composite have been evaluated. The products of polymerization of AAm in the presence of PVA consisted of unreacted PVA, the graft copolymer, PVA-g-PAAm, and the homopolymer polyacrylamide, PAAm, and this mixture is referred to as PVA-g-PAAm composite. AAm was also polymerized in the absence of PVA under similar conditions, and optimum conditions leading to maximum conversion of AAm to PAAm have been evaluated. A comparative study of the polyelectrolytic behavior of PVA, PAAm, and the composite has been made by viscometric and conductometric methods. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. |
