Why is polyacrylamide used in water treatment?

With the increasing global water scarcity and escalating environmental pollution, efficient water treatment has become paramount. Polyacrylamide, as a versatile polymer compound, has demonstrated significant achievements in the field of water treatment. PAM is widely used as a coagulant and flocculant in wastewater treatment.

What is polyacrylamide (PAM) used for?

In raw water treatment, polyacrylamide (PAM) is used together with activated carbon for the coagulation and clarification of suspended particles in domestic water; in sewage treatment, polyacrylamide (PAM) can be used for sludge dewatering; in industrial water treatment, polyacrylamide (PAM) is primarily used as a formula agent.

How polyacrylamide (PAM) is used in sewage treatment?

In sewage treatment, using polyacrylamide (PAM) can increase the recycling rate of water reuse. In petroleum extraction, polyacrylamide (PAM) is mainly used in drilling mud materials and for enhancing oil recovery, widely applied in drilling, well completion, cementing, fracturing, enhanced recovery, and other oil field extraction operations.

What is the application of polyacrylamide?

Therefore, its main application is in the water and wastewater treatment industry. The use of polyacrylamide in this industry reduces the use of other conventional coagulants, which results in a much lower amount of sludge and makes the process highly economical and cost-effective.

Is polyacrylamide water soluble?

Polyacrylamides are high molecular weight water soluble or swellable polymers formed from acrylamide or its derivatives. Their glass transition temperature is well above room temperature (> 400 K). Polyacrylamide PAM is currently the most widely used synthetic organic polymer flocculant, and sometimes it is also used as a coagulant aid.

How does polyacrylamide (PAM) reduce drag?

Polyacrylamide (PAM) can effectively reduce the frictional resistance of fluids, and adding a small amount of polyacrylamide (PAM) to water can reduce drag by 50-80%. Polyacrylamide (PAM) has thickening effects under both neutral and acidic conditions, and when the pH value is above 10, polyacrylamide (PAM) is easily hydrolyzed.