Polyepoxysuccinic acid, as a new type of green water treatment agent, has received increasing attention in recent years. Compared with traditional phosphorus and nitrogen based water treatment agents, Polyepoxysuccinic Acid has significant advantages such as good biodegradability, non-toxic and environmentally friendly properties, and strong chelating ability, which makes it have broad application prospects in industrial circulating cooling water, boiler water, sewage treatment and other fields. This article will briefly discuss the structural characteristics, mechanism of action, current application status, and future development trends of Polyepoxysuccinic Acid.

Polyepoxysuccinic Acid is a high molecular weight polymer obtained by ring opening polymerization of epoxysuccinic acid monomer

The molecular structure of натрыевая соль полиэпоксиянтарной кіслаты contains a large number of carboxyl and ether bonds, making it highly water-soluble and chelating. Carboxyl groups can form stable chelates with common metal ions such as calcium and magnesium in water, thereby inhibiting the formation of scale. The ether bond endows Polyepoxysuccinic Acid with good dispersibility, which can disperse the already generated precipitate in water and prevent its aggregation and deposition. In addition, due to the presence of biodegradable ether bonds in the molecular chain segments of Polyepoxysuccinic Acid, it can be degraded by microorganisms under certain conditions, reducing environmental pollution.

The mechanism of action of Polyepoxysuccinic Acid is mainly reflected in the following aspects

Firstly, through chelation, натрыевая соль полиэпоксиянтарной кіслаты can prevent the binding of calcium and magnesium ions with carbonate and phosphate ions, thereby inhibiting the formation of scale. Secondly, Polyepoxysuccinic Acid has lattice distortion effect, which can change the crystal structure of scale, making it loose and easy to remove. Again, Polyepoxysuccinic Acid can disperse suspended solids in water, preventing their aggregation and deposition, thereby reducing blockages in pipelines and equipment. Finally, Polyepoxysuccinic Acid also has a certain corrosion inhibition effect, which can protect the metal surface from corrosion.

At present, the application of Polyepoxysuccinic Acid is mainly focused on industrial circulating cooling water, boiler water, sewage treatment and other fields

In circulating cooling water, Polyepoxysuccinic Acid can effectively inhibit the formation and corrosion of scale, improve heat transfer efficiency, and extend the service life of equipment. In boiler water, Polyepoxysuccinic Acid can prevent boiler scaling, reduce energy consumption, and improve steam quality. In sewage treatment, Polyepoxysuccinic Acid can be used to remove heavy metal ions and suspended solids, improving water quality. In addition, Polyepoxysuccinic Acid also has potential application value in the fields of detergents, textile printing and dyeing.

Despite the many advantages of Polyepoxysuccinic Acid, its application still faces some challenges

For example, compared to traditional phosphorus based water treatment agents, the production cost of Polyepoxysuccinic Acid is relatively high, which limits its large-scale application. In addition, the synthesis process of Polyepoxysuccinic Acid needs further optimization to improve its performance and reduce costs. In the future, with the advancement of technology, the production cost of Polyepoxysuccinic Acid will be reduced, and its performance will be further improved. Meanwhile, with the increasing awareness of environmental protection among people, the demand for green water treatment agents will increase, and Polyepoxysuccinic Acid is expected to play a greater role in the field of water treatment.

In summary, Polyepoxysuccinic Acid, as a new type of green water treatment agent, has good application prospects. With the deepening of research and continuous development of technology, Polyepoxysuccinic Acid is expected to play a greater role in the field of water treatment and contribute to the sustainable utilization of water resources.

Polyepoxysuccinic Acid  FAQs

What is Polyepoxysuccinic Acid?

Polyepoxysuccinic Acid is a green and biodegradable polymer chelating agent and scale inhibitor, polymerized from epoxysuccinic acid. Its molecular structure contains multiple carboxylic acid groups and ether bonds, possessing strong chelating ability and high water solubility, and is widely used in industrial water treatment and environmental protection fields.

What are the advantages of Polyepoxysuccinic Acid compared to traditional scale inhibitors such as polyacrylic acid?

Environmental friendliness: It can be completely degraded by microorganisms, with no phosphorus or nitrogen, and meets green chemistry standards.

Efficient scale inhibition: The inhibition efficiency of CaCO ∝, CaSO ₄ and other scales is greater than 90%, and it is resistant to high temperatures (≤ 300 ° C).

Low corrosiveness: The molecular structure is mild, and its corrosiveness to metal equipment is much lower than that of polyacrylic acid.

Wide pH applicability: Maintain stable activity within the pH range of 212.

What are the core application scenarios of Polyepoxysuccinic Acid?

Circulating cooling water system: prevents scaling and corrosion of the heat exchanger.

Reverse osmosis (RO) membrane treatment: reduces the deposition of inorganic salts on the membrane surface.

Oilfield water injection: Inhibit the precipitation of calcium and magnesium ions in the formation.

Detergent industry: replacing STPP (sodium tripolyphosphate) as a phosphate free additive.

What is the degradation mechanism of Polyepoxysuccinic Acid?

Polyepoxysuccinic acid can be naturally degraded through the following pathways:

1. Hydrolysis: Ether and ester bonds break to form small molecule carboxylic acids.
2. Microbial metabolism: Bacteria in soil or water break it down into CO ₂ and H ₂ O.

Experiments have shown that the natural degradation rate can reach over 80% within 28 days (OECD 301B standard).

Limitations and solutions of Polyepoxysuccinic Acid?

Weak chelating ability for Fe ³ ⁺: needs to be used in combination with citric acid or polyaspartic acid.

Efficiency decline in high hardness water quality: It is recommended to synergistically increase efficiency with a small amount of HEDP (hydroxyethyl diphosphonic acid).

High cost: Large scale production and technological improvements are gradually reducing its price (currently around ¥ 5080/kg).