Ammonium polyacrylate

Ammonium polyacrylate (CAS 9003-03-6), also known commercially as Latekoll AS, is a water-soluble anionic polymer used as a dispersant, thickener, and flocculant.

Where is Ammonium polyacrylate used?

• Water treatment: flocculant and scale inhibitor in cooling water circuits, industrial effluent systems and municipal processing
• Building and construction: workability improver in cement slurries and tile adhesives, reducing water demand without sacrificing adhesion
• Home care and industrial cleaning: sequestrant that chelates calcium and magnesium ions, preventing redeposition of soils onto surfaces
• Textile and paper processing: dispersant for pigments and fillers, improving coating uniformity and substrate coverage; used in coating pigment slurries of calcium carbonate and TiO2, especially in paper coating
• It controls particle suspension, modifies flow behavior, and prevents scale formation in aqueous systems.
• Used as a dispersant, antiscalant and suspending agent in mining and mineral processing, inorganic pigment dispersions, papermaking, textile processing, paint manufacturing and boiler water treatment.
• In ceramics and tiles used as a dispersant, viscosity reducer/grinding aid and water reducer.
• Used as a dispersant in pigment pastes, wood varnishes, water-based varnishes, and other industrial applications.

Good to know: Low, medium, and high-molecular-weight grades perform differently, allowing specific performance across dispersancy, thickening, and flocculation functions.

Formulation notes

• Recommended use level in water-based paints is 0.1–0.6% (w/w).
• Completely compatible with many types of dispersions, including acrylic, styrene-acrylic, and broad dispersions of vinyl acetate homopolymers and copolymers.
• More effective at improving the water resistance of paint layers than the sodium salt of polyacrylic acid.

Typical specification

• Low molecular weight acrylic acid homopolymer ammonium salt with a narrow molecular weight distribution.
• Dry weight about 42–46%.
• A 10% by mass aqueous solution shows a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction with a pH between 7 and 9.
• Approximate molar mass 11,000 g/mol.
• Colorless to pale yellow, clear liquid free of visible impurities.

Regulatory status

• Not classified according to CLP.
• Due to low volatile organic compound content, can be used to create paint formulations compliant with Directive 2004/42/EC.

Frequently asked questions about Ammonium polyacrylate

What pH range is ammonium polyacrylate effective over?

The 2000 series products are effective over a pH range of 5.5 to 14. It is also effective at high temperatures above 100 °C in a pH range of 5 to 12.

How does the product affect the viscosity of pigment suspensions?

It significantly reduces the viscosity of aqueous suspensions of titanium dioxide and mineral fillers, allowing high pigment and filler loading.

Is ammonium polyacrylate compatible with glycols used in coating formulations?

It is compatible with polypropylene glycol and other glycols used to promote wet edge time and film coalescence.

Technical content is compiled and updated by the SoleChem product team from public technical sources; the certificate of analysis (COA) governs product-specific specifications.