High purity polyaluminum chloride: excellent water treatment agent for multiple applications

1.Overview of high purity polyaluminum chloride

High purity Polyaluminium Chloride (PAC) is an efficient inorganic polymer flocculant, which is composed of a series of inorganic polymer compounds with different polymerization degrees. Compared with traditional aluminum salt coagulants, high purity polyaluminum chloride has obvious advantages such as fast flocculation, large alum bloom, rapid settling and wide pH range. The general chemical formula ₆ was [Al₂(OH)ₙCl₆]ₘ, where n was 1-5 and m ₆ ≤10. High purity polyaluminum chloride can be divided into a variety of specifications according to its Al₂O₃ content and alkalinity, to meet the special needs of different industries.

2.Production process and technical characteristics

The production process of high purity polyaluminum chloride mainly includes three main technical routes: metal aluminum process, aluminum hydroxide process and bauxite process. Among them, the metal aluminum method with high purity aluminum plate or aluminum ingot as raw material can produce high-end products with very low heavy metal content, especially suitable for drinking water treatment and medicine and other fields with strict purity requirements. Modern production process through the precise control of reaction temperature, pressure and time parameters, with advanced filtration and drying technology, the product's insoluble content is reduced to less than 0.3%, heavy metal content in line with international drinking water standards.

The technical characteristics of high purity polyaluminum chloride are mainly reflected in the following aspects:

●High purity: Very low content of heavy metals, in line with strict health standards

●High stability: Liquid products can be stored for a long time without precipitation

●High charge: has a stronger ability to neutralize electricity

●Wide adaptability: Good results can be maintained in a wide pH range (5-9)

3.Main application areas

3-1.Water treatment field

In drinking water treatment, high purity aluminum chloride can effectively remove suspended matter, colloidal matter and some dissolved organic matter in water, and has a significant effect on reducing turbidity, chroma and COD of water. The water quality after treatment is clear and transparent, and the residual amount of aluminum is far lower than the national standard (≤0.2mg/L), and the safety is high. Many large and medium-sized city waterworks have used it as an upgraded alternative to traditional aluminum salt.

In urban water supply system, high purity aluminum chloride shows excellent turbidization and algal removal performance, and can effectively cope with water quality fluctuation caused by seasonal change of water source. The flocculus is compact and settling fast, which can significantly improve the treatment capacity of the water plant.

In terms of precision manufacturing water purification, such as ultra-pure water preparation in the electronics industry, optical device cleaning water, etc., high-purity polyaluminum chloride as a pretreatment agent can effectively remove nanoscale particles in water, creating good conditions for subsequent reverse osmosis, ion exchange and other deep treatment.

3-2.Paper industry applications

In the paper industry, high-purity aluminum chloride plays multiple important roles:

●As an efficient flocculant: used in papermaking white water recovery system, it can effectively intercept fine fibers and fillers, improve white water reuse rate and reduce water consumption

●As a retention filter aid: improve the retention rate of fibers and fillers, improve the formation uniformity of paper

●As a neutral sizing precipitator: Combined with AKD and other neutral sizing agents, significantly improve sizing efficiency

●As an anionic waste catcher: Effectively control the accumulation of dissolved and colloidal substances (DCS) in the system to keep the system clean

Compared with traditional aluminum sulfate, high-purity polyaluminum chloride has the advantages of less dosage, stable effect and small effect on system pH in papermaking applications, and has become an indispensable chemical in modern papermaking process.

3-3.Pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries

Pharmaceutical grade high purity polyaluminum chloride is mainly used in the pharmaceutical field:

●Pharmaceutical process water treatment: Ensure that pharmaceutical water meets GMP requirements

●Medical dialysis water purification: effectively remove endotoxins and other harmful substances

●Topical agent: as the main component of astringent and antiperspirant

●Vaccine production: As an adjuvant to enhance the immune response

In the cosmetics industry, high-purity aluminum chloride is mainly used as:

●Core ingredients of anti-sweat products: achieve anti-sweat effect by temporarily blocking sweat glands

●Emulsion stabilizer: Improve the stability of the emulsion system

●Viscosity regulator: Adjust the rheological properties of the product

●pH regulator: Maintain the appropriate pH of cosmetics

Cosmetic grade products have very high requirements for heavy metal content, impurity content and product stability, and usually need to be treated by special purification processes.

3-4.Daily chemicals industry

In the field of household chemicals, high-purity polyaluminum chloride applications include:

●Detergent enhancer: enhances the decontamination effect of surfactants, especially on protein stains

●Dishware detergent components: improve the degreasing effect and reduce the surface of the tableware water stain residue

●Pool clarifier: Keep the water clear and transparent

●Household water treatment agent: used for water purifier filter element material or emergency water treatment

4. market prospects and development trends

With the increasingly strict environmental regulations and the continuous improvement of water quality requirements in all walks of life, the high-purity polyaluminum chloride market shows a steady growth trend. The future development trend is mainly reflected in:

●High-end products: The demand for ultra-high purity products in special applications such as medicine and electronics is growing rapidly

●Functional specialization: Develop special formulations for different industries, such as papermaking PAC, cosmetics PAC, etc

●Green production process: The development of low energy consumption, low emission production technology, improve the utilization of raw materials

●Composite products: Combined with other water treatment agents to form a comprehensive solution

According to market research data, the global polyaluminum chloride market is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 5.8%, and the market size will reach about $1.8 billion by 2026, of which high-purity products will occupy an increasing share.

5.Conclusion

As a multi-functional chemical with excellent performance, safety and environmental protection, high-purity aluminum chloride has been extended from the traditional water treatment field to many industries such as papermaking, medicine, cosmetics and so on. With the continuous progress of preparation technology and the deepening of application research, its value will be further mined, and make greater contributions to the green development of various industries and the improvement of product quality. In the future, the high-purity polyaluminum chloride industry needs to continue to innovate in terms of product refinement, application specialization and production greening to meet the growing diversified market demand.