TP25-14 Learning from History .....

The use of synthetic polymers for mineral scale control in water treatment has evolved significantly over the past 50 years, with most advancements occurring early in their widespread adoption. Initially, polymers were primarily composed of carboxylate functionalities, such as polyacrylic, polymethacrylic, and polymaleic acids and their salts. In the 1970s, copolymers incorporating sulfonated and non-ionic groups were introduced. This innovation progressed further in the late 1980s, with the development of copolymers combining all three functional groups—carboxylate, sulfonate, and non-ionic—into a single polymer to maximize the benefits of each. Over the past three decades, polymer development has primarily focused on variations of these three functional groups, achieving incremental improvements. However, these improvements have largely been driven by additive suppliers targeting specific functionalities, often without fully considering formulation and real-world application implicat