Block copolymerization and chain extension by using PAAm prepolymer initiated with Ce (IV)–malonic acid

Abstract

Abstract The synthesis of block copolymers of polyacrylonitrile (PAN)–polyacrylamide (PAAm) was carried out with the use of PAAm–malonic acid (MA) prepolymer, which was a product of a redox polymerization initiated with the cerium sulphate–(MA) redox pair. The effects of prepolymer concentration and daylight on the yield and molecular structure were interpreted by means of FTIR spectroscopy. Furthermore, this prepolymer along with ceric ammonium nitrate was also used to induce the radical polymerization of acrylamide, resulting in further chain extension. Both FTIR spectra and intrinsic viscosities of the samples showed that the chain extension of PAAm–MA with AAm was affected by temperature and prepolymer content.