An instant polymer “coffee”: Facilitating the dissolution of high-molecular-weight water-soluble polymers

Abstract

Water-soluble polymers have been widely employed across various industries due to their exceptional thickening power. However, the dissolution of these high-molecular-weight polymers often encounters challenges including prolonged dissolution time, additional heating requirements, and incomplete solubilization, which result in inefficiency, energy wastage, and reduced thickening performance. Herein, an oil-based instant polymer dispersion consisting with ultra-high molecular weight polyacrylamide powder, Span-85, white oil, and nano-montmorillonite was developed to address these concerns. It was found that the dissolution rate of the polyacrylamide was significantly accelerated in brine solutions, such as saturated NaCl solution, 20% CaCl₂ solution, and simulated seawater when using this polymer dispersion. The dissolution time could be reduced by up to approximately 80% compared to that of the traditional polymer powder. The Span-85 and white oil were found to serve as barriers between polymer particles, thereby preventing their aggregation during dissolution. In addition, the dissolution process of the suspension was examined from a microscopic perspective through multiple light scattering techniques. The key factors influencing the dissolution rate were also discussed in detail. This polymer dispersion exhibits similar characteristics to instant coffee in terms of its rapid and effective dissolution properties, which not only conserves heating energy but also improves efficiency. With these advantages, the oil-based polymer dispersion is promising to act as high efficiency and sustainable solution for large scale polymer dissolution in industrial practice.