Low molecular weight polyacrylic acid with pendant aminomethylene phosphonic acid groups

Low molecular weight poly(acrylic acid-co-vinyl aminomethylene phosphonic a cid)s were prepared by consecutively applying the Hofmann degradation and t he Mannich reaction to polyacrylamide and poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid)s . H-1-NMR, P-31-NMR, and microanalysis were used for structural analyses. T hese polymers were tested as anti-scalent and they showed better anti-scale nt effect than commercial poly(acrylic acid)s. The scale inhibition propert ies of copolymers increased with increasing amount of aminomethylene phosph onic acid groups. (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.