Research Progress on Typical Quaternary Ammonium Salt Polymers

Abstract

Quaternary ammonium salt polymers, a kind of polyelectrolyte with a quaternary ammonium group, are widely used in traditional and emerging industries due to their good water-solubility, adjustable cationicity and molecular weight, high efficiency and nontoxicity. In this paper, firstly, the properties and several synthesis methods of typical quaternary ammonium salt monomers were introduced. Secondly, the research progress on the synthesis of polymers was summarized from the perspective of obtaining products with high molecular weight, narrow molecular weight distribution and high monomer conversion, and special functional polymers. Thirdly, the relationships between the structures and properties of the polymer were analyzed from the perspectives of molecular weight, charge density, structural stability, and microstructural regulation of the polymer chain unit. Fourthly, typical examples of quaternary ammonium salt polymers in the application fields of water treatment, daily chemicals, petroleum exploitation, papermaking, and textile printing and dyeing were listed. Finally, constructive suggestions were put forward on developing quaternary ammonium salt polymers with high molecular weights, strengthening the research on the relationships between the structures and their properties and pinpointing relevant application fields.

The comparison of polymerization activity of typical cationic quaternary ammonium salt monomers

“…Cationic polymers are typically synthesized through homo‐polymerization or co‐polymerization of cationic monomers which represented by quaternary ammonium salt 10 . The most widely used quaternary ammonium salt monomer types include diallyl quaternary ammonium salt monomer which represented by diallyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (DMDAAC), acryloyl oxygen alkyl quaternary ammonium salt monomer which represented by methyl acryloyl oxygen ethyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (DMC) and acryloyl oxygen ethyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (DAC), and acrylamide alkyl quaternary ammonium salt monomer which represented by methyl acrylamide propyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (MAPTAC), 9 and the chemical structures of the three monomers mentioned above are shown in Figure 1.…”

“…Their excellent physical properties such as dispersion, flocculation, viscosity increase, drag reduction, adhesion, and film formation make them widely used in papermaking, 1 petrochemicals, 2 textiles, 3,4 and cosmetics, 5 as well as solid‐liquid separation process like sludge dewatering, wastewater treatment, and mineral processing 6–8 . Based on the ionic characters of the hydrophilic groups, the water‐soluble polymers could be classified as cationic, anionic, amphoteric, and non‐ionic types 9 . The cationic polymers possess a positively charged molecular chain and can combine with negatively charged particles which exist widely in nature, and then, electric neutralization and adsorption bridging flocculation would occur 10 .…”

“…[6][7][8] Based on the ionic characters of the hydrophilic groups, the water-soluble polymers could be classified as cationic, anionic, amphoteric, and nonionic types. 9 The cationic polymers possess a positively charged molecular chain and can combine with negatively charged particles which exist widely in nature, and then, electric neutralization and adsorption bridging flocculation would occur. 10 Hence, the cationic polymers are considered to be one kind of most widely used watersoluble polymers, especially in the flocculation process for solidliquid separation.…”

Study on Flocculation Performance of New Cationic Starch‐Based Sludge Wastewater Flocculant

“…[43,44] The common monomers used to prepare modified starch-based flocculants are quaternary ammonium salt monomers. [45,46] The commonly used quaternary ammonium monomers are diallyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (DMDAAC) [45,[47][48][49] and methacryloylethyl ethyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (DMC). [7,36,50,51] However, DMDAAC has a low polymerization reaction activity.…”

Selective and Efficient Platinum Group Metal Adsorption from Wastewater by Localized Triethylamine-Based Poly(Ionic Liquid)

“…It is therefore expected that ammonium-based cations will further improve the PIL adsorption. Compared to imidazolium-based PILs, ammonium-based PILs are cheaper and have a higher concentration of charges …”