Preparation, acidolysis kinetics and scale inhibition performance of low molecular weight poly(maleic anhydride‐alt‐vinyl acetate) based on self‐stabilized precipitation polymerization

Abstract

Poly(maleic anhydride‐alt‐vinyl acetate) (PMV) is used as a fine chemical in the field of biomedical. However, the techniques of PMV preparation have shortcomings like limited yield (Yp), complex post‐treatment and toxic solvents. Herein self‐stabilized precipitation (2SP) technique which possessed advantages of simple operation and post‐processing, non‐toxic solvent, and surface‐cleaned product is adopted to synthesize low number‐average molecular weight (Mn) PMV by tune‐up of reaction parameters. PMV with Mn of 2800–39,200 g/mol are successfully achieved. Furthermore, acidolysis kinetics of PMV is investigated centering on effects of Mn, acidolysis temperature, and initial concentration. All samples can undergo completely ring‐opening and the equilibrium pH of acidolyzed PMV is related to initial concentration irrelevant to Mn and temperature. Carboxylic degree (CD) varying rate and time of reaching equilibrium pH and 100% CD are impacted by Mn and temperature irrelevant to initial concentration. Finally, scale inhibition effectiveness of PMV with 2800 g/mol can be up to 53.69%, larger than that of commercial citric acid by about three times. This contribution supplies an easily operational and eco‐friendly process to obtain low molecular weight PMV which can be the scale inhibitor for industry and daily life, providing the quantization basis for hydrophilic functionalization of PMV.