Aqueous stabilizer-free two-phase copolymerization of acrylamide (AM)

2-methylacryloylxyethyl trimethylammonium chloride (DMC) and acryloyloxyethyl dimethylbenzyl ammonium chloride (AODBAC) with initiator 2

2'-azobis[2-(2-imidazolin-2-yl) propane]-dihydrochloride was studied. UV spectrophotometer was used to monitor in-line transmittance change of reaction mixture and to detect critical point of phase separation. The conversion rate (Xc) and molecular weight (Mc) at the critical point were measured by improved brominating and viscometric methods

respectively

and were investigated on effect of various factors. The cationic surfmer

AODBAC

was found to have a good performance on promoting phase separation of the system. Change of initiator amount and molar fraction of AODBAC had minimal effect on Xc

which however increased linearly at increase of temperature. The increase of initiator amount

temperature

and molar fraction of AODBAC caused linear decrease of Mc. Xc decreased but Mc increased significantly when molar fraction of AM and overall monomer amount were increased.