Synthesis, characterization and flocculation performance of zwitterionic copolymer of acrylamide and 4-vinylpyridine propylsulfobetaine

A novel zwitterionic polyacrylamide AMVPPS copolymer containing sulfobetaine groups was synthesized by copolymerizing acrylamide (AM) and 4-vinylpyridine propylsulfobetaine (4-VPPS) in 0.5 mol/L NaCl solution with potassium persulfate (K₂S₂O₈) and sodium bisulfite (NaHSO₃) as initiator. The structure and composition of AMVPPS copolymer were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, ¹H NMR and elemental analyses. Thermal stability and solution properties of AMVPPS copolymer were studied by thermogravimetry analysis (TGA) and viscometry. Anti-polyelectrolyte behavior was observed and was found to be enhanced with increasing 4-VPPS content in copolymer. The flocculation performance for 2.5 g/L kaolin suspension and 2.5 g/L hematite suspension was evaluated by transmittance measurement and phase contrast microscopy. The effects of 4-VPPS content in the copolymer, intrinsic viscosity and the added salt on the flocculation performance were investigated. It was found that AMVPPS copolymer was a good flocculant for both anionic kaolin and cationic hematite suspensions and the flocculation performance of copolymer was much better than that of pure polyacrylamide (PAM). A very wide range of the optimum flocculation concentration, named as “flocculation window”, was found for both suspensions. These flocculation characteristics were mainly dependent on the charge neutralization, the intragroup conformation transition from water to NaCl solution and then the interchain bridging of the zwitterionic AMVPPS copolymer.