Process for the aqueous polymerization of acrylamide

In a process for the preparation of a water-soluble high molecular weight homopolymer of acrylamide monomer by an aqueous solution or emulsion polymerization process conducted at ambient temperatures and pressures without the use of polymerization regulators in the presence of a redox pair catalyst and a metal ion co-catalyst, wherein at least one of said solution, emulsion or monomer is contaminated with small amounts of polymerization inhibiting components, the improvement consisting essentially of maintaining a minimum effective amount of redox catalyst in admixture with about 10 to about 50 percent by weight of said acrylamide monomer, wherein a first member of a redox pair catalyst is admixed with said monomer in the amount of 0.05 to 0.3 percent by weight based upon the weight of said acrylamide monomer, and a polymerization-initiating effective amount of a second member of a redox pair catalyst is added thereto until the initiation of said polymerization begins, said initiation being determined by a 2.degree. C. to 5.degree. C. exotherm and the addition of said second member of a redox pair catalyst being terminated upon initiation of polymerization.