Synthesis and flocculation performance of a chitosan-acrylamide-fulvic acid ternary copolymer

• Published in: Carbohydrate polymers Vol. 170; pp. 182 - 189
• Main Authors: Lou, Tao, Wang, Xuejun, Song, Guojun, Cui, Guangpeng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 15.08.2017
• Subjects: Acrylamide; acrylamides; Chitosan; composite polymers; decolorization; dyes; Flocculant; flocculation; Fulvic acid; fulvic acids; methyl orange; neutralization; solubility; Ternary copolymer; Acrylamide; Chitosan; Fulvic acid; Flocculant; Ternary copolymer
• ISSN: 0144-8617; 1879-1344; 1879-1344
• DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2017.04.069

•Two natural polymers of chitosan and fulvic acid were successfully grafted with a synthetic monomer of acrylamide.•The amphoteric ternary copolymer flocculated three typical dyes effectively.•The water soluble flocculant had wide pH effectiveness scope and flocculation window.•Flocculation mechanism was combination of charge neutralization and bridging effect. The flocculant made from natural polymers gained prominence in recent years due to its eco-friendliness and low cost. In this study, two natural polymers of chitosan and fulvic acid were successfully grafted with a synthetic monomer of acrylamide as a new type of flocculant. The prepared chitosan-acrylamide-fulvic acid (CAMFA) exhibited an excellent capacity to remove three typical dyes, the color removal ratios were 97.0%, 91.6%, and 38.2%, respectively, at the dosage of 283mg/L for 100mg/L of acid blue 113, reactive black 5 and methyl orange. The main flocculation mechanisms were charge neutralization and bridging effect. CAMFA showed nice flocculation performance with solubility in pure water, high removal efficiency, broad pH effectiveness scope, and a wide flocculation window. The ternary copolymer based on natural polymers is a promising candidate as a flocculant from the perspective of effectiveness, operation simplicity and cost.