Acrylamide (500 g)

Appearance: White powder

Molecular formula: C3H5NO

Molecular weight: 71.08

Melting point: 84.5 °C,although stable in the dark, it readily polymerizes at its melting point, in solution or under ultraviolet light.1

Special tests: DNase, RNase and Protease were not detected per procedures on lot-specific data sheet.

Acrylamide as a monomer is used in a variety of synthetic processes to form polymers, copolymers. It is readily polymerized in the presence of free radicals, usually in aqueous solutions. Polyacrylamide plastics have numerous commercial applications, due in part to the tendency of polyacrylamide to adsorb many times its own mass in water. In biochemistry, its principle use is in the preparation of polyacrylamide gels, using suitable cross-linkage agents, for use in electrophoresis separation techniques. Common reaction initiators are riboflavin, ammonium persulfate; varying the ratio of acrylamide to crosslinking agent permits the formation of a gel with predictable average pore size and texture. A number of excellent laboratory manuals give specific protocols for preparing "PAGE" (Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis) gels; see page 2 for a partial reference list. Acrylamide has a tendency to hydrolyze under acidic or basic conditions to form acrylic acid.