Study of methyl methacrylate—acrylamide copolymerization system in cyclohexanone in the absence of conventional radical initiator

Abstract

The copolymerization of a methyl methacrylate—acrylamide system has been studied at 75°C in the absence of any radical initiator, thermal in dioxane, and in pure cyclohexanone, cyclohexanone/dioxane mixture and cyclohexanone/benzene mixture. The r-parameter values are calculated by FR, YBR, KT and EVM methods. The calculation method considerably influences the reactivity ratio values. A comprehensive comparative study of r-parameters and ‘bootstrap’ effect for the investigated systems, and the same monomer system initiated by the free radical initiator described in the literature, is presented. Discrepancies between the results obtained and examples for the ‘bootstrap’ effect given in the literature are discussed. The kinetic data obtained confirm specific interactions of methyl methacrylate and cyclohexanone.