Syntheses of acrylamido acids and copolymerization with acrylamide. Influence of the polymer structure on drag reduction properties

Seven acrylamido acids have been synthesized, six of them were obtained from amino acids and acryloyl chloride and the last one resulted from a Ritter reaction. The corresponding salts of these monomers were copolymerized with acrylamide at different feed compositions and the polymers so obtained were characterized and tested for drag reduction activity. A relationship between the structure of the macromolecules, involving the role of the polymer side chain structure and their drag reduction properties was established. Linear and long chain pendant groups led to polymers showing increasing drag reduction efficiency. The inactivity of a polymer having a rigid side chain such as an aromatic ring confirms the idea that flexible molecules, which can evolve in different conformations, are more susceptible to interaction and disruption. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.