1. Reasons for aqueous/precipitation polymerization of Sodium Methallyl Sulfonate (SMAS)
- Sodium Methallyl Sulfonate (SMAS) owns strong water-soluble sulfonate groups, readily dissolves in deionized water without toxic organic solvents for green production.
- Water serves as cheap heat carrier to dissipate exothermic polymerization heat and avoid runaway temperature rise.
- Aqueous systems simplify post-treatment; precipitation polymerization easily gains solid copolymer powder via phase separation.
2. Negative impacts under overly acidic pH
Excess acid protonates SMAS’s –SO₃⁻, lowering monomer solubility and inducing premature precipitation. Poor dissolution disturbs uniform copolymerization, causing irregular molecular weight and deteriorated flocculation property.
