Amerfloc 485 Amerfloc 487 Amerfloc 492 are three models of polyacrylamide with different solid content and viscosity mainly used for mining and water treatment.

PolyDADMAC, also known as polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride, is a strongly cationic polymer widely used as a coagulant and flocculant in water treatment, wastewater treatment, mineral processing, and industrial separation processes. It is a linear quaternary ammonium polymer with a high positive charge density, water solubility, and excellent chemical stability. These properties make PolyDADMAC an essential chemical for charge neutralization, suspended solids removal, and sludge conditioning in both municipal and industrial applications.

1. Municipal and Industrial Wastewater Treatment

PolyDADMAC is one of the most widely applied coagulants in municipal wastewater treatment systems. Its strong cationic charge neutralizes negatively charged colloidal particles and organic matter, promoting aggregation and floc formation. In municipal plants, PolyDADMAC is often used:

• As a primary coagulant to replace or supplement inorganic salts like alum or ferric chloride.

• In primary clarification to reduce turbidity, suspended solids, and organic load before biological treatment.

• In secondary clarification to enhance the settling of biological flocs, improving sludge settleability and reducing effluent turbidity.

• For sludge dewatering, it improves floc structure, accelerates water release, and reduces polymer demand for final conditioning.

In industrial wastewater treatment, PolyDADMAC is used across many sectors—such as textile dyeing, papermaking, petrochemical, food processing, and tanning industries—to remove color, oils, and suspended solids. It is effective in systems with a high concentration of anionic contaminants, where its charge neutralization capacity provides excellent clarification performance.

2. Drinking Water Treatment

PolyDADMAC is NSF/ANSI Standard 60–certified for use in drinking water treatment as a coagulant aid. It effectively removes turbidity, color, algae, and organic matter from surface water and groundwater sources. When used in conjunction with inorganic coagulants like alum or polyaluminum chloride (PAC), PolyDADMAC enhances floc formation, reduces metal salt dosage, and minimizes sludge production.

Key benefits in drinking water treatment include:

• Improved clarity and filterability of water.

• Reduced residual aluminum or iron from metal coagulants.

• Lower production of non-recyclable chemical sludge.

• Excellent stability across pH 4–9, allowing for wide operational flexibility.

Its strong charge density allows PolyDADMAC to work effectively at low dosages (typically 1–10 mg/L), leading to cost savings and cleaner operation.

3. Sludge Dewatering and Conditioning

In sludge management, PolyDADMAC is frequently used to precondition sludge before mechanical dewatering using centrifuges, filter presses, or belt presses. Its high charge density binds fine solids and releases trapped water, forming dense, easily separable flocs.

By improving filterability and cake dryness, PolyDADMAC reduces sludge handling and transportation costs. It is also used as a coagulant aid in combination with high-molecular-weight cationic polyacrylamides to optimize overall dewatering performance.

Typical dosage depends on sludge type, but ranges between 1–5 kg per dry ton of solids for municipal sludge and higher for industrial types.

4. Pulp and Paper Industry

PolyDADMAC plays a critical role in the paper and pulp industry, where it functions as a retention aid, charge neutralizer, and pitch control agent. During papermaking, negatively charged fines, fillers, and additives can destabilize the process. PolyDADMAC neutralizes these charges and enhances retention of solids and sizing agents on the paper sheet.

Key applications include:

• Fixing agent for anionic trash and colloidal contaminants.

• Retention and drainage aid to improve dewatering on the paper machine.

• Pitch and stickies control by binding resinous or tacky substances and preventing deposition.

• Wet-end chemistry control, improving machine runnability and product consistency.

This leads to better sheet formation, higher productivity, and reduced chemical consumption. PolyDADMAC is compatible with other retention systems such as polyacrylamide and bentonite.

5. Mining and Mineral Processing

In mineral processing, PolyDADMAC acts as a coagulant or flocculant for solid–liquid separation in tailings management, thickening, and clarification. It effectively aggregates negatively charged mineral particles such as clays, silicates, and oxides.

Applications include:

• Clarification of mine water and process water to recover reusable water.

• Sedimentation of fine tailings in coal washing, phosphate beneficiation, and bauxite refining.

• Pre-treatment in flotation circuits to control water chemistry and remove interfering colloids.

Its rapid charge neutralization and flocculation make it valuable for improving settling rates and reducing chemical consumption of downstream flocculants (e.g., anionic polyacrylamides).

6. Oilfield and Petrochemical Applications

PolyDADMAC is extensively used in oilfield water treatment for clarifying produced water, separating oil from water, and conditioning sludges. It neutralizes negatively charged oil droplets and fine solids, forming larger flocs that are easily separated by gravity or flotation.

Typical applications include:

• Produced water clarification in upstream oil production.

• Demulsification and oil–water separation in refining and petrochemical facilities.

• Polymer flooding water treatment, reducing suspended solids that can plug injection wells.

Its thermal stability and resistance to salinity make it suitable for onshore and offshore applications. In DAF (dissolved air flotation) systems, PolyDADMAC enhances bubble–particle attachment, increasing floatation efficiency.

7. Color Removal in Textile and Dyeing Wastewater

In textile wastewater treatment, PolyDADMAC is highly effective for color removal, especially for reactive, acid, and direct dyes. The polymer’s quaternary ammonium groups attract negatively charged dye molecules, forming insoluble complexes that precipitate and can be easily separated.

This makes PolyDADMAC a superior alternative to inorganic coagulants for dye removal because it:

• Works efficiently at low dosage and neutral pH.

• Produces less sludge volume.

• Provides rapid settling and better water clarity.

• Can be combined with anionic polyacrylamides for improved floc size and settleability.

8. Electronics and Semiconductor Wastewater Treatment

High-purity grades of PolyDADMAC are used in ultrapure water and electronics wastewater treatment. They remove submicron particles and colloids that interfere with wafer production processes. The polymer’s strong cationic charge and low residual content make it ideal for precision applications requiring very low metal contamination.

9. Other Specialized Applications

PolyDADMAC is also applied in:

• Swimming pool and cooling water treatment as a flocculant for fine colloids.

• Cosmetics and personal care products as an antistatic and conditioning polymer (in modified, cosmetic-grade forms).

• Sugar and food processing wastewater for clarification and BOD/COD reduction.