The degradation patterns of statistical acrylamide copolymers with the potassium salt of p-styrene sulphonic acid in 0·4% aqueous solutions under the influence of K 2S 2O 8 at 50°C have been studied. The possibility of effectively regulating the molecular masses of the copolymers by changing the concentration of K 2S 2O 8, temperature and the duration of degradation has been demonstrated. From the kinetic data of degradation the authors evaluate the polydispersity by molecular mass of the initial copolymer samples and estimate the sedimentation indices of an ochre suspension in presence of copolymers as a function of their concentration, molecular mass and chemical composition.
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