Polyacrylamide is a general term for homopolymers of acrylamide and copolymers derived from acrylamide and other monomers, ranking among the most widely used water-soluble macromolecular polymers worldwide.
Its structural amide groups enable easy hydrogen bond formation, endowing PAM with excellent water solubility and high chemical activity. It can be readily modified via grafting or cross-linking reactions to produce branched or network-structured derivatives. Widely applicable across petroleum exploitation, water treatment, textile, papermaking, mineral processing, pharmaceutical, agriculture and other sectors, it is reputed as an "all-industry auxiliary agent".
Internationally, it is predominantly used in water treatment, papermaking, mining and metallurgy. Domestically, the oil extraction industry consumes the largest volume, while water treatment and papermaking sectors witness the fastest consumption growth.