Carboxylate groups lose ionization and shrink in high-salinity brine due to cation shielding, while sulfonate on Sodium Methallyl Sulfonate (SMAS) stays fully dissociated across wide salinity.
- –COO⁻ drawback: Carboxylic anions combine with abundant Ca²⁺, Na⁺ in saline water, charge neutralization reduces electrostatic adsorption and flocculation ability.
- SMAS sulfonate merit: The sulfonate from Sodium Methallyl Sulfonate (SMAS) has strong ionic bonding stability, resisting salt-induced charge suppression to maintain electrostatic repulsion and particle capture capacity.
- Hydrophilic sulfonate chains of SMAS avoid polymer curling under high ionic strength, preserving molecular bridging performance for steady flocculation.
