Synthesis and Performance Evaluation of Linear Polycarboxylate Dispersant of Glacial Acrylic Acid – Maleic Acid- Sodium Methallyl Disulfonate for Ceramics

Using aqueous solution free radical polymerization with glacial acrylic acid (GAA), maleic anhydride (MA) and sodium methallyl disulfonate (SMADS), a novel linear polycarboxylate dispersant was synthesized for ceramics. Dispersant linear structural characterization was done by FTIR, 1H NMR, HPLC and GPC, and the ratio of monomers was determined using an orthogonal experiment. This research is focused on the effects of polymerization temperature, monomer mole ratios and dosage of initiator on ceramic slurry viscosity with linear polycarboxylate dispersant for ceramic dosage rate of 0.30% (based on dry slurry), all of which were investigated by single factor test. The best polymerization conditions for linear GAA-MA-SMADS are when n(AA) : n(MA) : n(SMADS) equals 3.0 : 1.0 : 0.5, the molecular weight of the polymer is 4600 daltons, the initiator sodium persulfate accounts for 7% of the total mass of polymerized monomers, the polymerization temperature is 90°C and the reaction time is 2 h. The ceramic body slurry viscosity drops from 820 mPa·s to 46 mPa·s when the concentration of the polycarboxylate dispersant is 0.30%. Key words: Novel linear polycarboxylate dispersant GAA-MA-SMADS, Ceramic dispersant, Polymerization, Ceramic slurry flow time, Slurry viscosities