Synthesis and mechanism of anti-scaling effect of itaconic acid/allyl sulphonic acid/acrylic acid terpolymer

college of Life Science and Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Technology, Nanjing 210009, People's Republic of China college of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, People's Republic of China E-mail : yyueqin@l26.com Manuscript received 19 October 2005. revised 7 March 2006. accepted 23 March 2006 The optimum ratio of monomers, itaconic acid (lA) : allyl sulphonic acid (ASA) : acrylic acid (AA) an conditions of their polymerization to produce the terpolymer for scale removal in experimental later was determined using the orthogonal experiment. The optimum conditions of the terpolymer syntheses were as follows : the monomer ratio lA : ASA : AA = 2 : 1 : 4 (wt.), the initiator (APS) 4.5% (wt. of total monomers), the chain transfer agent (ipropanol) 9.5% (wt. of total monomers), the reaction time 1.5 h, the reaction temperature 95 ºC. The IR spectra of the terpolymer confirmed that there was no olefinic band at 1635-1620 cm-1. The IA/ASA/AA terpolymer presented excellent scale inhibition to CaCO3. As the concentration of Ca2+ is 1600 mg L -1 in experimental water and the addition of the terpolymer is 10 mg L-1, the inhibition of the terpolymer is 95.88%. The mechanism of anti-scaling effect of IA/ASA/AA terpolymer has been put forward.