Main Classification (by Ionic Type)

PAM is mainly divided into four categories according to its ionic characteristics, each with distinct application scenarios and functional advantages:

1. Anionic Polyacrylamide (APAM)

• Molecular weight: 8-25 million, with carboxyl as the functional group

• Core feature: Strong adsorption to positively charged suspended particles in water

• Main application: Industrial wastewater treatment (printing and dyeing, coal washing, steel mill wastewater), sludge dehydration, paper making dry strength agent, oilfield water flooding displacement agent

2. Cationic Polyacrylamide (CPAM)

• Molecular weight: 5-12 million, with quaternary ammonium group as the functional group

• Core feature: Flocculate and dewater negatively charged colloidal substances (e.g., organic sludge)

• Main application: Urban sewage treatment, domestic sludge dehydration, papermaking retention and drainage aid, mineral flotation

3. Nonionic Polyacrylamide (NPAM)

• Molecular weight: 8-15 million, with no ionic functional groups

• Core feature: Good solubility in neutral and acidic water, excellent thickening and adhesion performance

• Main application: Purification of low turbidity and acidic water, papermaking coating thickener, textile sizing agent

4. Amphoteric Polyacrylamide (AmPAM)

• Integrated anionic and cationic functional groups

• Core feature: Adapt to complex water quality (wide pH range, high salinity, high organic matter)

• Main application: Oilfield tertiary oil recovery, high difficulty industrial wastewater treatment, papermaking advanced treatment

Core Physical and Chemical Properties

1. Appearance: Industrial products are white or slightly yellow powder/granule, a small amount is colloid; solid PAM is easy to absorb moisture and agglomerate, and needs sealed storage.

2. Solubility: Easily soluble in water (forming a transparent viscous solution), insoluble in ethanol, acetone, benzene and other organic solvents; the dissolution rate is related to particle size and ionic type, and slow stirring is required to avoid agglomeration.

3. Molecular weight: 1-25 million (the key index of anionic/cationic PAM), which directly affects thickening and flocculation efficiency; the higher the molecular weight, the stronger the flocculation performance under the same dosage.

4. Ionic degree: Unique index of cationic PAM (5-80%), refers to the molar percentage of cationic groups in the polymer; the ionic degree is selected according to the sludge type and water quality.

5. Stability: Stable at room temperature and neutral pH; easy to hydrolyze under high temperature (>80℃), strong acid/alkali conditions, and lose polymer performance; non-toxic, no secondary pollution to the environment (acrylamide monomer residual content ≤0.05% for food/ drinking water grade).

6. Viscosity: The aqueous solution has high viscosity, and the viscosity increases with the increase of concentration and molecular weight; it has good shear resistance and is suitable for industrial dynamic processes.

Typical Application Fields

1. Water Treatment (Core Application)As a high-efficiency flocculant and sludge dehydrating agent, it is the most widely used water treatment chemical in the world. It can quickly aggregate suspended solids, colloidal particles and organic pollutants in water to form large and dense flocs for precipitation, filtration and separation; it is applicable to urban sewage, industrial wastewater, drinking water purification and sludge dehydration, with high purification efficiency and low dosage.

2. Oilfield DevelopmentThe largest industrial application field of PAM; anionic PAM is used as water flooding displacement agent and profile control agent to improve oil displacement efficiency and crude oil recovery; cationic PAM is used for oilfield produced water treatment and oil sludge dehydration, realizing water recycling and sludge harmless treatment.

3. Papermaking IndustryUsed as retention aid, drainage aid, dry strength agent and surface sizing agent; it can improve the retention rate of pulp fibers and fillers, accelerate paper machine drainage, enhance paper dry/wet strength and surface smoothness, reduce raw material loss and improve paper quality.

4. Mining and MetallurgyUsed for ore flotation, tailings water treatment and mineral processing thickening; it can separate useful minerals from gangue, purify mining wastewater and realize the recycling of water resources in mining areas.

5. Textile and Printing Dyeing IndustryAs sizing agent, thickener and dye fixing agent; it can improve the adhesion of textile sizing, the uniformity of printing and dyeing paste, and the color fastness of fabrics, and also realize the purification of printing and dyeing wastewater.

6. Other FieldsConstruction industry (concrete water reducer and thickener), agricultural production (soil water retention agent and fertilizer synergist), cosmetic industry (thickener and emulsifier), coal washing industry (slurry clarification and coal slime dehydration).

Storage and Transportation Notes

1. Solid PAM: Sealed and stored in a dry, cool and ventilated warehouse, avoid dampness, rain and direct sunlight; the storage period is 2 years under normal temperature; it is strictly prohibited to mix with strong acid, strong alkali and oxidant.

2. PAM Aqueous Solution: It is recommended to prepare and use on site (the prepared solution is easy to degrade after standing for more than 24 hours); store in plastic or glass fiber reinforced plastic containers, avoid contact with iron and steel containers (easy to cause degradation).

3. Transportation: Transported as ordinary chemical products, no dangerous goods signs; avoid violent collision during transportation to prevent package damage and moisture absorption.

4. Operation Protection: Wear rubber gloves and dust masks during operation to avoid direct contact with skin and inhalation of dust; if dust enters the eyes, rinse with plenty of clean water immediately.

Core Advantages

1. High efficiency and low dosage: The flocculation efficiency is dozens of times that of traditional inorganic flocculants (e.g., aluminum sulfate, ferric chloride), and the dosage is only a few parts per million (ppm), which greatly reduces the treatment cost.

2. Wide adaptability: Different ionic types and specifications can be selected according to water quality, sludge type and application scenarios, and it is effective in a wide pH range (5.0-10.0).

3. Multi-functional integration: Integrate flocculation, thickening, adhesion, water retention and other functions, and can realize one agent with multiple uses in different industrial fields.

4. Environmental protection and non-toxicity: The qualified product has low residual monomer content, no secondary pollution to the environment and water body, and meets the national environmental protection and safety standards.

5. Easy to use: The solid product is easy to transport and store, and the aqueous solution is easy to prepare and add, which is suitable for large-scale industrial continuous operation.