Polyacrylamide (IUPAC poly(2-propenamide) or poly(1-carbamoylethylene), abbreviated as PAM) is a polymer (-CH2CHCONH2-) formed from acrylamide subunits.
It can be synthesized as a simple linear-chain structure or cross-linked, typically using N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide. Polyacrylamide is not toxic. In the cross-linked form, the possibility of the monomer being present is reduced even further.
It is highly water-absorbent, forming a soft gel when hydrated, used in such applications as polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and in manufacturing soft contact lenses.
In the straight-chain form, it is also used as a thickener and suspending agent. More recently, it has been used as a subdermal filler for aesthetic facial surgery.
