Degradation of Sodium-Polyacrylate in Dilute Aqueous Solution

It is shown using a capillary viscometer that the viscosity of a dilute aqueous solution of sodium-polyacrylate at 20°C decreases gradually for each flow time measurement and also decreases with the time of rest. Assuming that the polymer degradation is caused by shearing stress and oxidation, their effects are discussed with the data obtained using a closed-type capillary viscometer derived for this investigation. It is proved from the results that rupture of the Na-PAA molecule is caused by mechanochemical degradation, and also photo-degradation under the usual illumination and sunlight in a laboratory.