Among the numerous chemical products today, polyacrylamide is undoubtedly a shining star. With its excellent performance and wide application, it plays an indispensable role in many key fields such as industry and environmental protection.
Polyacrylamide, referred to as PAM, is a synthetic high molecular polymer. Its molecular structure is unique. It is formed by connecting acrylamide monomers through a specific polymerization reaction to form a long-chain macromolecular structure. This structure gives it many excellent properties, the most prominent of which is its excellent water solubility. Whether in cold water or hot water, polyacrylamide can quickly dissolve to form a solution with a certain viscosity, and the viscosity of the solution can be flexibly adjusted according to actual needs, which provides great convenience for its application in different scenarios.
In the field of environmental protection, polyacrylamide can be regarded as a powerful assistant for sewage treatment. With the acceleration of the global industrialization process, the problem of sewage discharge has become increasingly severe, and the emergence of polyacrylamide has brought hope for solving this problem. In sewage treatment plants, it is widely used as an efficient flocculant. When added to sewage, polyacrylamide molecules can quickly interact with suspended particles in sewage, such as silt, organic residues, and colloidal substances. The active groups on its molecular chain will produce adsorption and bridging effects with the charges on the surface of these particles, causing many tiny suspended particles to aggregate with each other and form larger flocs. Through subsequent precipitation, filtration and other processes, these flocs can be effectively separated, so that the sewage can be purified and meet the discharge standard or reuse standard. This process not only significantly improves the efficiency and quality of sewage treatment, but also greatly reduces the pollution pressure on the environment, and has made great contributions to the protection of water resources and ecological balance.
The petroleum industry is also a stage for polyacrylamide to show its prowess. In the process of oil production, especially in the secondary and tertiary oil production stages, polyacrylamide plays an extremely critical role. As the oil field is exploited, the formation pressure gradually decreases, and the recovery rate of crude oil also decreases. At this time, injecting an aqueous solution containing polyacrylamide into the oil well can effectively improve the oil-water mobility ratio. The high viscosity characteristics of polyacrylamide can increase the viscosity of the injected water, reduce its mobility in the formation, and enable it to advance more evenly in the formation, thereby displacing more crude oil that was originally difficult to extract and improving the final recovery rate of crude oil. In addition, in drilling operations, polyacrylamide is also used as an additive for drilling fluid to adjust the rheological properties of drilling fluid, ensure the smooth progress of the drilling process, prevent accidents such as well wall collapse, and also help to carry cuttings back to the ground to maintain the efficiency and safety of drilling operations.
The papermaking industry is also inseparable from the help of polyacrylamide. In the production process of paper, from pulp preparation to paper forming, polyacrylamide plays an important role. As an excellent retention and filtration agent, it can better retain the fibers and fillers in the pulp in the fiber network of the paper, reduce their loss, and improve the strength and quality of the paper. At the same time, it can also accelerate the dehydration process of pulp, shorten the forming time of paper, improve the production efficiency of papermaking machines, reduce production costs, and bring significant economic benefits to papermaking enterprises.
The mining field also benefits from the application of polyacrylamide. In the process of mineral beneficiation and processing, polyacrylamide can be used in flotation process. By interacting with the surface of mineral particles, it changes the surface properties of minerals, enabling them to better attach to bubbles and float, thereby achieving effective separation of useful minerals from gangue minerals, improving the recovery rate of mineral processing and the quality of concentrates, and providing strong support for the efficient utilization of mining resources.
However, polyacrylamide is not without concerns during use. Although polyacrylamide itself is relatively low in toxicity, a small amount of acrylamide monomer may remain during its production and use. Acrylamide monomer is a known neurotoxin and potential carcinogen, so its content must be strictly controlled and corresponding safety protection measures must be taken to ensure the health of operators and the safety of the environment. In the discharge link after sewage treatment, the concentration of residual polyacrylamide in the water also needs to be monitored to prevent its long-term potential impact on the receiving water body.
Looking to the future, with the continuous advancement of science and technology and people’s increasing requirements for environmental protection and resource utilization, the research and development and application prospects of polyacrylamide are still broad. Scientists will continue to explore new synthesis processes and modification methods to further optimize the performance of polyacrylamide, reduce production costs, and improve its application effects in various fields. At the same time, against the backdrop of increasingly stringent environmental regulations, the demand for polyacrylamide in areas such as sewage treatment and zero discharge of industrial wastewater will continue to grow. It will continue to play an important bridging role in promoting sustainable industrial development and environmental protection, and become one of the key chemicals in building a green, low-carbon, circular economic system.
