Seeking Biodegradable Alternatives to Polyacrylamide (PAM)

• A technology
• A manufacturing process
• A material
• A partner

A SpecialChem Client is seeking biodegradable polymer solutions as replacements for current non-readily biodegradable acrylamide based polymer technologies.

Polyacrylamides (PAMs) are the most versatile polymers in applications where high molecular weight and water solubility are necessities: flocculants, rheology modifiers, paper machine retention, sludge dewatering, to name a few. Industry areas include water treatment, papermaking, oil recovery, mining, skincare products, agriculture uses and many others.

Unfortunately polyacrylamide based polymers are not biodegradable. With the current changes in environmental awareness and regulation there is a pressing need for the development of biodegradable alternatives. In many applications the customer would prefer having a biodegradable replacement for traditional PAMs.  However, generally the alternatives do not deliver the desired performance and/ or are not economically viable.

The demand of polyacrylamides in 2014 was estimated to be more than 1,500 kilotons and it keeps on growing. The SpecialChem Client plays an important role in the PAM market. The selected solution could help replace a significant part of this market. 

The successful solutions must have the following characteristics:

• Biodegradable to non-toxic degradation products
Definition: Biodegradation: The term “biodegradation” has many broad definitions in the current art. For the purposes of this problem, improved biodegradation can be defined as any degree of improved polymer decomposition as measured by many of the current techniques. These techniques can include methods currently used by various industries.
• Water soluble
• Can replace polyacrylamide in at least one of the key following applications:
• Flocculate solids or impurities from water or
• Influence the rheology of a water based system.

• New copolymers of acrylamide, demonstrating better biodegradability.
• Solutions based on alternative chemical structures. Sub-structure can be either synthetic or natural based (e.g. made by micro-organisms or based on materials derived from plants, algae, fungi, crustacean)
• Any additive capable to accelerate biodegradation of PAM without materially affecting cost/ performance.

• The SpecialChem Client is not interested in solutions that consist solely of a non-modified biopolymer (naturally occurring polymer), because based on the current experience these are not performing well enough in the applications of interest. However, new novel innovations should not be excluded.  Solutions proposed should thus be supported with detailed evidence.
• The Client is not interested in solutions that can’t be utilized in industrial scale even after further development (e.g. due to very high cost or limited availability of the raw material).

• Ideas
• Concepts
• Proven Concepts
• Ready-to-use solutions
• Partners

• Industry: Chemical
• Annual Revenue: > 1 Billion €
• Years in Business: > 20 years
• Headquarters Area: Europe

• Licensing
• Contractual partnership (R&D, marketing…)
• Technology/ product acquisition