CURRENT MULTI

WATER-SOLUBLE POLYMERS............Government regulations related to water treatment, the search for energy sources, product quality improvements, economizing on raw materials -- all these are driving forces for the use of water-soluble polymers.

Water-soluble polymers, both synthetic and those derived from natural products are useful as flocculants, water-absorbing agents, viscosifiers, dispersants, etc. The markets under investigation in this study are: superabsorbents, water treatment, petroleum recovery, paper additives and mineral processing.

	FUNCTION

SUPERABSORBENTS	Absorption of body fluids in hygiene products. Retention of water in horticultural/agricultural applications
	End Uses: Diapers, feminine hygiene products, agriculture, other.

WATER TREATMENT	Clarify influent and effluent waters; condition and disposal of the waste sludge formed.
	End Uses: Municipal water treatment, waste water treatment, sludge control and industrial water treatment and waste water treatment.

PAPERMAKING ADDITIVES	Principally for dry and wet strength; other applications include retention, drainage, savealls, and clarification.
	End Uses: Wet strength resins, dry strength resins, retention, drainage, savealls, liquor clarification.

PETROLEUM RECOVERY	Water-soluble polymers are utilized in seven steps in the recovery of oil; drilling muds, cementing, workover and completion, fracturing, antiscalant, and flooding. They function as thickeners and fluid-loss control agents.
	End Uses: Drilling fluids (muds), cementing, workover and completion fluids, acidizing, fracturing, antiscalant, enhanced oil recovery.

MINERAL PROCESSING	Flocculants are utilized mainly as thickening and clarification agents.
	End Uses: Coal, iron ore, clay, soda ash, uranium, potash, bauxite, copper, titanium dioxide, calcium carbonate, zinc and lead, gold and silver.