Harvey and L. P. Klemann

Corporate Research Laboratories Exxon Research and Engineering Company Route 22 East, Clinton Township Annandale, New Jersey 08801 

Most low molecular weight (MW) amides will not hydrolyze In water alone. Hydrolysis can, however, be effected via acid or base catalysis, but elevated temperatures for an extended period of time may be required.(1) It has been shown that the nature of organic reactions 

The acid or base catalyzed hydrolysis of polyacrylamide (PAM) or Its partially hydrolyzed counterpart (HPAM) In aqueous solutions has been the subject of numerous studies. In part because this system provides an opportunity for evaluating the influence of polymer composition, and steric and electrostatic effects on the course of a simple organic reaction In a convenient solvent medium. 

Analysis of the acid catalyzed hydrolysis of PAM is complicated due to the possibility of intra- and inter-molecular Imide formation.(4) Perhaps for this reason, studies of the base catalyzed hydrolysis of PAM are more numerous. These investigations indicate that the base catalyzed hydrolysis of PAM may be influenced by a number of factors Including electrostatic Interactions (2,5), nearest neighbor effects (6), and Imide formation associated with specific polymer chain microstructure(s).(7) 

This contribution will consider two approaches for examining the extent and nature of the TP hydrolysis of PAM. One involved conversion of carboxylate groups on the hydrolyzed polymer to carboxyl groups and subsequent titration of the acid. The other approach consisted of analyzing the ammonium Ion formed during TP hydrolysis. One of our objectives will be to consider the relative merits of these characterization procedures for elucidating the hydrolysis 

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