(501e) N Vinyl Formamide: Green Alternative to Acrylamide

Acrylamide is produced at volumes of over 200 million kg/year and is used worldwide to generate polyacrylamide. Acrylamide has been documented as a neurotoxin in human epidemiological studies, and is a potential carcinogen. Vinyl formamide (NVF), an isomer of acrylamide, is a readily polymerized to poly(N-vinyl formamide). Polymers incorporating NVF can perform many of the same applications as acrylamide polymers. NVF is neither a carcinogen nor a neurotoxin. Unfortunately NVF exhibits a cost disadvantage that is tied to “green disadvantages” in the current production process.

An alternative NVF process has been created that is intensified, uses lower process temperatures, produces less waste, and uses less hazardous raw materials than current analogs. We incorporate several features described in Zimmerman and Anastas' “Green Engineering” [1], including removal of inherent hazards, design for separation, and process intensification.

1. P.T. Anastas, J.B. Zimmerman, “Design through the 12 Principles of Green Engineering” Env. Sci. Tech. (2003), 37(5), 95A-101A.