Flocculation of Polystyrene Latex by Polyacrylamide-Copolyethylene Glycol

Comb copolymers with long polyacrylamide (PAM) backbones and short polyethylene glycol (PEG) pendant chains were used to flocculate aqueous latex in conjunction with a phenol-formaldehyde resin. Flocculation efficiency was determined as a function of molecular weight (MW), PEG content, and PEG pendant chain length. The results indicated that high copolymer MW was crucial. More than 70% of latex removal was achieved by copolymers with MW higher …