Determination of the Compositional Ratio of Acrylamide-[(Methacryloyloxy)Ethyl] Trimethylammonium Methyl Sulfate Copolymers by Infrared Spectrophotometry

Abstract

Quantitative infrared spectroscopic analysis is well established as a convenient method to determine the composition ratio of the two components in copolymers. The present note introduces a method that permits the determination of the composition of acrylamide-[(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethylammonium methyl sulfate copolymers [PAM-P(METAMS)] (Fig. 1). PAM-P(METAMS) copolymers are of great importance in the treatment of industrial waste water and as a drainage retention aid. Since the performance properties of PAM-P(METAMS) copolymers are influenced by the relative amount of AM and METAMS in the copolymer, the availability of a convenient method to determine the copolymer ratio is important. The AM/METAMS ratio has in the past been calculated from the sulfur content, determined by sample combustion followed by titration of the combustion products, and the nitrogen content, determined by the Kjeldahl method.