Preparation and thermal study of polymers derived from acrylamide

Polyacrylamide (PAA) and some of its N-alkyl substituted derivatives have been synthesised and characterised using thermal analysis. Thermal stability was studied by thermogravimetry (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to determine the glass transition temperatures (T-g) The results showed an increase in degradation temperature (T-d) as the hydrogens of the amide nitrogen were replaced by alkyl groups. An opposite tendency was verified for T-g values. The observed increase in T-d values is discussed in terms of the formation of an intermediate ion in the degradation, while the decrease in T-g values is discussed in terms of polymer-polymer interactions such as hydrogen bonds. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.