American Cyanamid Company

Richard Joseph Duffy

Arthur Maurice Schiller

Charles Richard Witschonke

Mark Allan Higgins

Dae Suk Song

A process for inhibiting scale formation using a low molecular weight hydrolyzed polyacrylamide prepared by a process involving simultaneously and continuously charging separate streams of acrylamide monomer, ammonium persulfate (as catalyst) and mercaptoalkanoic acid (as chain transfer agent) to a reaction zone containing water under reflux, the rate of charging being such that the heat of polymerization is sufficient to maintain reflux in the reaction zone without exceeding the capacity of the condenser to remove the heat of reaction, and then reacting the polymer product with sufficient aqueous caustic to hydrolyze from about 60 to 90% of the amide groups in the polymer product.

Low molecular weight hydrolyzed polyacrylamide used as a scale inhibitor

A low molecular weight hydrolyzed polyacrylamide having exceptional effectiveness as a scale-inhibiting agent is prepared by a process involving simultaneously and continuously charging separate streams of acrylamide monomer, ammonium persulfate (as catalyst) and mercaptoalkanoic acid (as chain transfer agent) to a reaction zone containing water under reflux, the rate of charging being such that the heat of polymerization is sufficient to maintain reflux in the reaction zone without exceeding the capacity of the condenser to remove the heat of reaction, and then reacting the polymer product with sufficient aqueous caustic to hydrolyze from about 60 to 90% of the amide groups in the polymer product.

Growing community of inventors

Greenwich, CT, United States of America

Richard Joseph Duffy