Polyacrylic acid

Description

1. Product Overview

Polyacrylic acid (PAA) is a high-molecular-weight anionic polymer recognized for its superior dispersing, sequestering, and antiscalant properties across demanding industrial processes. Its primary industrial use lies in water treatment, detergents, and textile auxiliaries, where it prevents scale formation and enhances system efficiency. The key value proposition is a measurable reduction in operational downtime and maintenance costs due to exceptional calcium carbonate and phosphate inhibition. Strategically, PAA is critical for industries facing tightening water reuse regulations and efficiency mandates, making it an indispensable component in sustainable water management and high-performance formulations.

2. Key Specifications & Technical Characteristics

• Chemical Composition: Polyacrylic acid, sodium salt (partial or fully neutralized); available in homopolymer and copolymer variants

• Purity / Grade:

  • Technical Grade: 45–50% solids content

  • High-Purity Grade: ≥90% solids (powder) / 50–65% (liquid) with low residual monomer (<0.1% acrylic acid)

• Physical Characteristics:

  • Form: Clear to pale yellow viscous liquid or white free-flowing powder

  • Molecular Weight (Mw): 2,000 – 5,000 (low MW for antiscalant); 100,000+ (for thickening)

  • Density (liquid): 1.15–1.22 g/cm³ at 25°C

  • pH (as supplied): 3–4 (acid form) or 7–9 (sodium salt)

• Packaging Options:

  • IBC totes (1,000 L)

  • HDPE drums (200 L / 50 gal)

  • Bulk flexitanks (20,000 L)

  • 25 kg multi-layer bags (powder form)

• Shelf Life: 12–24 months when stored in sealed, temperature-controlled conditions (5–40°C), away from direct sunlight and oxidizing agents

3. Core Industrial Applications

• Water Treatment (Cooling Towers & Boilers): Prevents calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, and barium sulfate scale. Outperforms phosphonates under high hardness and high pH conditions, reducing chemical cleanings by up to 40%.

• Detergents & Cleaners (I&I): Acts as a builder and anti-redeposition agent. Delivers superior particulate soil suspension compared to sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP), enabling phosphate-free formulations without compromising cleaning efficiency.

• Textile & Pulp Processing: Used as a dispersant for pigments and fillers. Provides better thermal stability and lower foaming than polyacrylates with higher molecular weight, increasing processing speed and reducing defects.

• Ceramics & Pigments: Serves as a grinding aid and slurry viscosity reducer. Allows higher solids loading (up to 80%) while maintaining pumpability, reducing energy consumption by 15–25%.

4. Competitive Advantages

• Quality Consistency: ISO 9001:2025 certified production with batch-to-batch viscosity and molecular weight variance < ±3%. Every shipment includes a Certificate of Analysis (CoA).

• Supply Reliability: Multi-continent manufacturing (Asia, Europe, US) with buffer stock hubs near major ports. Typical lead time: 10–14 days for bulk orders.

• Logistics Capability: Dedicated chemical tank container fleet for liquid PAA; moisture-barrier packaging for powder. Real-time tracking and customs documentation support.

• Price Competitiveness: Volume-based tiered pricing (20MT+ FOB) that consistently benchmarks within the lowest quartile of global suppliers, backed by long-term raw material contracts.

• Sustainability: Available in bio-based and low-residual-monomer grades; REACH and RoHS compliant. Reduces wastewater scaling, directly supporting clients’ ESG targets.

• Technical Support: In-house application engineers provide formulation optimization, on-site scale-simulation testing, and troubleshooting within 48 hours globally.

5. Commercial & Supply Information

• Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ):

  • Liquid form: 20 MT (1 flexitank)

  • Powder form: 5 MT (200 bags)

• Bulk Loading Capacity (per 20’ standard container):

  • Liquid: 20 MT (using flexitank or IBCs)

  • Powder: 18–20 MT (palletized bags, depending on density)