In-depth kinetic modeling of poly(acrylamide-co-bisacrylamide) gels

Abstract

The reaction of acrylamide with bisacrylamide to form poly(acrylamide-co-bisacrylamide) is an important research area for optimization of laboratory and industrial processes related to innovative gel designs. Many researchers have expounded on individual aspects of the chemical kinetics involved in the process, but a comprehensive model for solving the dynamic chemical kinetics of a process that has changing flows has not been detailed extensively. The aim of this project has been to conduct several experiments that detail the kinetic-altering factors of the process such that a model can be programmed using multidimensional solvers such as MATLAB. Carefully controlled assays were performed and were fitted using a Chapman-Richardson Equation and a Hill Method equation for sigmoidal regressions. These determinations had a coefficient of determination of 0.95 or better. Domains evaluated were then regressed for linear relationships to write a MATLAB model. Results of these experiments indicate that further work should be done to better define the multi-domains that exist in certain kinetic-altering parameters (e.g. APS/TEMED ratios).