High Performance Polymers and Their Nanocomposites

Chapter 4Polyacrylamide (PAM)

Małgorzata Wiśniewska

Department of Radiochemistry and Colloids Chemistry

Faculty of Chemistry, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University

Corresponding author: [e-mail]

Abstract

Polyacrylamide (PAM) polymers are synthetic group of a great variety of macromolecular compounds. Owing to the wide possibilities of their macromolecules modification, many substances differfing in structure and properties can be obtained. Among them non-ionic, anionic, and cationic polyacrylamides, as well as polyacrylamide gels can be distinguished. Polyacrylamide is well soluble in water, viscosity of its solution is linearly dependent on polymer molecular weight, and PAM amide with weak basic character undergoes reactions of hydrolysis, halogenation, methylation, and sulfonation. This polymer is used as a modifier of solid surface properties in various composite materials (including nanocomposites) and formation of polymeric blends with different additives. The most important PAM practical applications cover areas of wastewater purification, oil extraction from natural reservoirs (enhanced oil recovery method), control of soil rain erosion, mineral processing, metallurgy, papermaking industry, food processing, cosmetics production, drug delivery systems, etc. The range of potential applications of PAM is constantly increasing owing to the intensively developing procedures of its modification and preparation of new hybrid materials.

Keywords: Polyacrylamide, ...