Preparation of poly(N-vinyl caprolactam) with various end groups using chain transfer agents and evaluation of their effects on kinetic hydrate inhibition

Poly(N-vinylamide) derivatives were synthesized to improve the performance of kinetic hydrate inhibitors (KHIs). In this work, we synthesized poly(N-vinylformamide) (PNVF) and poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) (PVCap) by free radical polymerization with several commercial chain transfer agents (CTAs), which afforded a few thousand Mn. The structures of synthesized PNVF and PVCap were then investigated by 1H NMR and MALDI-TOF/MS spectrograms. KHI properties of the synthesized PNVF and PVCap polymers were also evaluated by the high-pressure slow constant cooling KHI test method. Some of the tested polymers showed a better KHI effect than PVCap.