Polyacrylamide is one of the most widely used chemicals in paper manufacturing — as a retention aid, drainage aid, and dry strength agent. At our Zhengzhou factory, we supply PAM to paper mills across Asia, South America, and the Middle East. Here is how it works and how to select the right grade.
PAM Applications in Paper Making
| Application | PAM Type | Charge Density | Dosage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retention aid (fines & filler) | CPAM | 20-50% | 0.3-1.0 kg/ton paper |
| Drainage aid (wire section) | CPAM | 30-60% | 0.5-2.0 kg/ton paper |
| Dry strength agent | CPAM (low MW) | 10-30% | 5-15 kg/ton paper |
| White water treatment | CPAM | 40-70% | 2-8 kg/ton dry solids |
| Broke treatment | CPAM | 30-50% | 1-5 kg/ton dry solids |
Retention Aid: Keeping Fines on the Sheet
In the wet end of a paper machine, fine fibers, fillers (calcium carbonate, kaolin), and fines pass through the wire and end up in white water. This wastes raw materials and loads the white water treatment system.
CPAM as a retention aid bridges between fiber surfaces and fine particles, keeping them on the forming wire. A well-optimized retention program can improve first-pass retention from 60-70% to 85-95%, reducing raw material loss by 15-25%.
For projects like this, our CPAM with 20-40% charge density delivers consistent results with factory-direct pricing.
For retention aid applications, we recommend CPAM with 20-50% charge density and 10-15M molecular weight. Higher charge density improves retention of anionic fines; higher MW improves bridging but can cause flocculation problems if overdosed.
Drainage Aid: Faster Dewatering on the Wire
Drainage rate on the forming wire determines machine speed. Slow drainage limits production. CPAM improves drainage by flocculating fine particles that would otherwise block the wire, allowing water to drain faster.
For drainage aid, use CPAM with 30-60% charge density and 8-12M molecular weight. The higher charge density handles the anionic trash in modern recycled fiber furnishes. Lower MW produces smaller, denser flocs that drain faster than the large flocs from high-MW polymer.
Typical improvement: 10-20% increase in drainage rate, allowing 5-15% increase in machine speed.
Dry Strength Agent
PAM can also improve paper strength by forming hydrogen bonds with cellulose fibers. This application uses low molecular weight CPAM (1-3M Da) at higher dosage (5-15 kg/ton paper).
The low MW polymer penetrates the fiber network and forms bonds at fiber-fiber contact points. Typical improvement: 10-20% increase in tensile strength, 15-25% increase in burst strength.
This is particularly valuable for recycled fiber grades where fiber quality is lower and strength is harder to achieve.
Need PAM for paper making?
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White Water Treatment
Paper mill white water contains suspended fibers, fillers, and organic matter. Before discharge or reuse, it must be clarified. CPAM with 40-70% charge density effectively flocculates these materials for removal by dissolved air flotation (DAF) or settling.
Dosage: 2-8 kg/ton dry solids, depending on white water quality. Our CPAM for white water treatment is the same grade used for municipal sludge dewatering — high charge density, medium molecular weight.
Managing Anionic Trash
Modern paper mills use increasing amounts of recycled fiber, which introduces anionic trash — dissolved and colloidal substances (DCS) that consume cationic polymer and reduce its effectiveness.
High anionic trash demands higher charge density CPAM (50-70%) or the addition of a cationic coagulant (polyDADMAC or alum) before PAM dosing. We can help you optimize the coagulant-flocculant combination for your specific furnish.
Our Paper Grade PAM
At our Zhengzhou factory, we produce CPAM specifically formulated for paper making applications:
- Retention/drainage grades: 8-15M MW, 20-60% charge density
- Dry strength grades: 1-3M MW, 10-30% charge density
- White water treatment grades: 8-12M MW, 40-70% charge density
All grades meet our standard quality specs: solid content ≥92%, dissolution time ≤90 minutes, residual monomer ≤0.05%. ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 certified.
We also supply APAM for paper mill effluent treatment — a complete solution for both the wet end and the wastewater system.
Ordering
MOQ: 500kg for first orders. Standard delivery: 7-10 days. We currently supply paper grade PAM to mills in Indonesia, Vietnam, India, Brazil, and Egypt. For more details on our paper-specific retention aid products, see PAM retention aid guide. Also check our dissolving method guide for optimal preparation.
Contact us on WhatsApp at +86 150-0381-8598 or request a quote. Send us your furnish composition and machine type, and we will recommend the right grade.
Get a Quote
Our factory in Zhengzhou produces 100,000 tons/year of PAM across 18+ grades. MOQ 500kg, delivery 7-10 days standard. Contact us for pricing and free sample:
- WhatsApp: +86 150-0381-8598
- Email: info@chinapolyacrylamide.com