Polymerization of sodium 2‐sulfoethyl methacrylate in aqueous solution

The rate of sodium 2‐sulfoethyl methacrylate (SEMΘNa⊕) polymerization in aqueous solution was measured as a function of temperature, ionic strength, K2S2O8, and SEMΘ‐Na⊕ concentration. The ratio of rate constants, kpkt−1/2(fkd)1/2, increases with decreasing ionic strength. Because SEMΘNa⊕ is itself an ionic salt, the ratio of polymerization rate constants increases with decreasing monomer concentration. The change in ratio of rate constants as a function of ionic strength can be described by an equation derived from the limiting form of the Debye‐Hückel theory. The value of the effective ionic charge on the polymeric growing radical is 3, as calculated by means of the derived equation.