Role of radiolytically generated species in polymerization of [2-(acryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethylammonium chloride (AETC) in aqueous medium: Steady state and pulse radiolysis study

Radiation induced polymerization of [2-(acryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethylammonium chloride (AETC) in aqueous solution has been studied by steady state and pulse radiolysis techniques. The effect of absorbed dose, dose rate, monomer concentration and ambient conditions were investigated by measuring the relative viscosity of monomer solution. AETC has been found to react with (OH)-O-center dot and e(aq)(-),4 with bimolecular rate constants of 7.6 X 10(9) M-1 s(-1) and 3.7 X 10(10) M-1 s(-1), respectively. The bimolecular rate constants for the reaction of AETC and AETC-OH center dot with the monomer molecule AETC have been found to be 1.7 x 10(7) M-1 s(-1) and 2.2 x 10(6) M-1 s(-1), respectively. Further, AETC(center dot-) and AETC-OH center dot have been found to react with oxygen with k=3.2 x 10(9) M-1 s(-1) and 2.2 X10(9) M-1 s(-1), respectively. The monomer underwent polymerization upto an absorbed dose of 0.14 and 0.42 kGy in N2O and N-2 saturated solutions and later the radiolytic degradation of the polymer was predominant. The reaction of AETC transients with oxygen was also established by decrease in polymerization extent in aerated and oxygenated solution. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.