Novel acrylamide acrylate copolymers

A terpolymer of the structure consisting of:

• ##STR12## wherein R.sub.1 is selected from the group consisting of C.sub.1 to C.sub.20 alkyl groups, C.sub.6 to C.sub.20 aryl groups and C.sub.6 to C.sub.30 alkylaryl groups;
• R.sub.2 is hydrogen or methyl group, n is about 1 to 60;
• y is about 2.0 to about 35.0 mole %, and x is about 65.00 to about 98.00 mole %, z is about 0.1 to about 3.0 mole % and n is about 1 to about 60 and M is a metal cation selected from the group consisting of Groups IA, IIA, IB and IIB of the Periodic Table of Elements, wherein said terpolymer has an intrinsic viscosity of about 1 to about 25.

A water soluble terpolymer having the formula:

• ##STR13## wherein R.sub.1 is selected from the group consisting of C.sub.1 to C.sub.20 alkyl groups, C.sub.6 to C.sub.20 aryl groups and C.sub.6 to C.sub.20 alkylaryl groups;
• R.sub.2 is hydrogen or methyl group, n is about 1 to 60;
• y is about 2.0 to about 35.0 mole %, and x is abut 65.00 to about 98.00 mole %, z is about 0.1 to about 3.0 mole % and n is about 1 to about 60 and M is a metal cation selected from the group consisting of Groups IA, IIA, IB and IIB of the Periodic Table of Elements, wherein said terpolymer has an intrinsic viscosity of about 1 to about 25, wherein said terpolymer is formed by a free radical solution polymerization in the absence of a surfactant or emulsifier and comprises the polymerization of an acrylamide monomer, a metal acrylate monomer and an alkyl poly(etheroxy) acrylate monomer in the presence of a free radical initiation at a temperature of at least 5.degree. C. for at least 0.5 hours.