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Polymers02:34

Polymers

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The word polymer is derived from the Greek words “poly” which means “many” and “mer” which means “parts”. Polymers are long chains of molecules composed of repeating units of smaller molecules, known as monomers. They either occur naturally, such as DNA and proteins, or can be constructed synthetically, like plastics. They have varied structural characteristics, such as linear chains, branched chains, or complex networks, that contribute to the...
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Polymers02:34

Polymers

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Polymer Classification: Architecture01:14

Polymer Classification: Architecture

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Polymers are classified as linear or branched on the basis of their chain architecture. The polymer chains in linear polymers have a long chain-like structure with minimal to no branching at all. Even if a polymer features large substituent groups on the monomer, which appear as branches to the skeleton, it is not considered a branched polymer. A branched polymer contains secondary polymer chains that arise from the main polymer chain. The branching occurs when the polymer growth shifts from...
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Polymer Classification: Crystallinity01:21

Polymer Classification: Crystallinity

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Unlike ionic or small covalent molecules, polymers do not form crystalline solids due to the diffusion limitations of their long-chain structures. However, polymers contain microscopic crystalline domains separated by amorphous domains.
Crystalline domains are the regions where polymer chains are aligned in an orderly manner and held together in proximity by intermolecular forces. For example, chains in the crystalline domains of polyethylene and nylon are bound together by van der Waals...
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Polymer Classification: Stereospecificity01:26

Polymer Classification: Stereospecificity

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Polymerization generates chiral centers along the entire backbone of a polymer chain. Accordingly, the stereochemistry of the substituent group has a significant effect on polymer properties. Polymers formed from monosubstituted alkene monomers feature chiral carbons at every alternate position in the polymer backbone. Relative to the predominant orientation of substituents at the adjacent chiral carbons, the polymer can exist in three different configurations: isotactic, syndiotactic, and...
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Polymers: Defining Molecular Weight01:01

Polymers: Defining Molecular Weight

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Unlike small molecules with definite molecular weights, polymers are a mixture of individual polymer chains of varying lengths, each with a unique molecular weight.  So, the molecular weight of a polymer is expressed as an average value based on the average size of the polymer chains. The two most common forms of averages used for polymers are the number average molecular weight and weight average molecular weight.
The number average molecular weight (Mn) is the summation of the number...
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Polymer reaction engineering tools to design multifunctional polymer flocculants.

Sarang P Gumfekar1, João B P Soares1

  • 1Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2V4, Canada.

Chemosphere
|July 11, 2018
PubMed
Summary

New terpolymers effectively flocculate and dewater oil sands tailings. Tailored polymer composition using reactivity ratios enhances performance, with increased hydrophobicity improving sediment dewaterability for effective oil sands processing.

Keywords:
DewateringFlocculantHydrophobically-modified polymerOil sands tailingsTerpolymer composition

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Area of Science:

  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Materials Science
  • Environmental Engineering

Background:

  • Oil sands mature fine tailings (MFT) pose significant dewatering challenges.
  • Conventional flocculants often lack tailored properties for optimal MFT treatment.
  • Designing polymers with specific functionalities is crucial for efficient tailings management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To design and synthesize multifunctional terpolymers for effective flocculation and dewatering of MFT.
  • To investigate the impact of terpolymer composition and hydrophobicity on MFT dewatering performance.
  • To establish a first-principles approach for designing polymer flocculants.

Main Methods:

  • Terpolymer synthesis: poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide/2-(methacryloyloxy) ethyl trimethyl ammonium chloride/N-tert-butylacrylamide) [P(NIPAM-MATMAC-BAAM)].
  • Reactivity ratio estimation for binary copolymers to guide terpolymer composition.
  • Polymer reaction engineering tools to control chemical composition distribution.
  • Focused Beam Reflectance Measurement (FBRM) for floc size analysis.
  • Sediment dewaterability assessment.

Main Results:

  • Terpolymers successfully promoted the formation of large MFT flocs (up to 120 μm).
  • Increased terpolymer hydrophobicity enhanced sediment dewaterability.
  • Initial settling rate decreased with increasing hydrophobicity, suggesting limited bridging by hydrophobic segments.

Conclusions:

  • Tailored terpolymer design based on reactivity ratios enables precise control over chemical composition.
  • Hydrophobically modified cationic terpolymers are effective for MFT flocculation and dewatering.
  • This study provides a framework for designing advanced polymer flocculants from fundamental principles.