Copolymers of N-alkyl- and N-arylalkylacrylamides with acrylamide: influence of hydrophobic structure on associative properties. Part I: viscometric behaviour in dilute solution and drag reduction performance

BACKGROUND: Drag reduction properties from dilute aqueous polymer solution are obtained with very high molecular weight water-soluble polymers. The aim of this work was to examine the potential of acrylamide polymers modified with small amounts of N-alkyl- and N-arylalkylacrylamides (0.5 and 1 mol%). RESULTS: The associative properties improve with the length of the graft alkyl chain, and with its proportion in the copolymer and with the presence of aromatic groups. The drag reduction efficiency of these copolymers in very dilute solution was measured to relate the activity to the molecular parameters. CONCLUSION: The results obtained indicate that the persistent drag reduction activity can be linked to the presence of strong intramolecular associations. (C) 2008 Society of Chemical Industry