Radiation‐induced polymerization of sodium 10‐undecenoate in aqueous micelle solutions

Poly(sodium 10-undecenoate) has been prepared by ..gamma.. irradiation of aqueous solutions of the monomer. Polymerization was effective only when the monomer concentration exceeded the critical micelle concentration (cmc). Micelle formation has been observed to produce dramatic enhancements of the rates of a variety of chemical reactions. The principal contribution to the overall catalytic activity often is simply the localization of the reactants within the micelle core. This aspect of micellar catalysis was exploited in the polymerization of sodium 10-undecenoate, where the monomer is both the micelle-forming amphiphile and the reacting species. 2 figures.