POLYACRYLAMIDE- ▸ Soil stabilization and erosion / infiltration control.
- ▸ Oil recovery in high-salinity reservoirs.
- ▸ Drilling fluids.
- ▸ Variable-pH water treatment.
A grade-specific Safety Data Sheet (SDS) — with the complete hazard classification, handling precautions, and transport information — is supplied with every shipment and available on request. Confirm all safety and regulatory details against the SDS for your specific grade.
Request SDS →
Nonionic polyacrylamide (NPAM) is the near-neutral PAM grade — an acrylamide homopolymer that flocculates by bridging and is prized for its salinity tolerance and performance across a wide pH range. It is the grade of choice where charged polyelectrolytes lose effectiveness. It is one of the three grades in the polyacrylamide overview (compare anionic PAM (APAM) and cationic PAM (CPAM)).
What it is
Nonionic PAM (CAS 9003-05-8) is essentially an acrylamide homopolymer with near-zero ionic charge and high molecular weight. Because it carries little charge, a larger dose is needed for the same effect as a polyelectrolyte — but that same neutrality makes it insensitive to salt and pH. It is supplied as a white powder/granule.
How it works
NPAM flocculates almost entirely by bridging rather than charge neutralization: its long uncharged chains adsorb across many particles and bind them into flocs. Because the chains are not collapsed by dissolved salt (as charged polymers can be), NPAM keeps working in high-salinity and variable-pH streams where anionic or cationic grades fade. Background: what is flocculation.
Applications
NPAM is a salinity-tolerant specialist, used in soil stabilization and conditioning (erosion control, infiltration), oil recovery in high-salinity reservoirs, drilling fluids, water treatment where pH varies widely, and electrophoresis gel media. Use-case detail: dust suppression & soil/erosion control and oil & gas friction reducer & EOR.
Typical properties and grades
Grades vary mainly by molecular weight; values below are typical and reference only — the CoA governs. Because NPAM is uncharged, expect a higher dose than an equivalent polyelectrolyte.
Bulk supply and RFQ
RawSource supplies nonionic polyacrylamide in bulk (bags, supersacks) with CoA, TDS and SDS per lot. Tell us your stream (salinity, pH) and application, and we will recommend the molecular weight and dose and quote it. See the polyacrylamide overview and the grades, make-down & dosing guide.
Typical Properties
Typical reference values, not a specification; the Certificate of Analysis (CoA) for the lot governs.
| Property | Typical Value |
|---|---|
| Chemical / class | Nonionic polyacrylamide (NPAM) — acrylamide homopolymer |
| Charge | Neutral (~zero ionicity) |
| Molecular weight | High (acrylamide homopolymer) |
| Optimal pH | Wide / variable |
| Key strength | Salinity tolerance (salt-insensitive) |
| Dose note | Higher dose than a charged polyelectrolyte for equivalent effect |
| Physical form | White powder / granule |
| CAS Number | 9003-05-8 (acrylamide homopolymer) |
| Handling | Refer to the current SDS; powder is slippery when wet |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is nonionic polyacrylamide (NPAM) used for?
Nonionic PAM (CAS 9003-05-8) is a near-neutral, high-MW flocculant used for soil stabilization and erosion control, oil recovery in high-salinity reservoirs, drilling fluids, variable-pH water treatment, and electrophoresis gels. Its salinity and pH tolerance are the differentiators.
When should I use nonionic instead of anionic or cationic PAM?
Use nonionic PAM where dissolved salt or wide pH swings would collapse a charged polymer — high-salinity reservoirs, brine-affected soil, and variable-pH streams. Where charge helps (clarification, sludge), anionic or cationic grades are more efficient.
Why does nonionic PAM need a higher dose?
Because it carries little charge, nonionic PAM relies on bridging alone rather than charge neutralization, so more polymer is needed for the same flocculation as a charged polyelectrolyte; the trade-off buys salinity and pH tolerance.
Does nonionic PAM work in saltwater or brine?
Yes — nonionic PAM is salt-insensitive, which is why it is chosen for high-salinity oil reservoirs and brine-affected systems where anionic/cationic polymers lose viscosity and flocculating power.
Disclaimer. Information on this page — including chemical properties, identifiers, hazard, transport (DOT/UN) and tariff (HS) classifications, and applications — is provided for general reference and is compiled from authoritative public sources (e.g. PubChem). Values are typical and are not a guaranteed specification; the Certificate of Analysis (CoA) for the lot you purchase governs. Products are sold for industrial and professional use only. Nothing here is a medical, health, or efficacy claim, or advice. Always consult the current Safety Data Sheet (SDS) before handling, storage, transport or disposal, and confirm regulatory status, classification and suitability for your application and jurisdiction. Hazard, transport and tariff classifications must be verified for your specific shipment. RawSource makes no warranty, express or implied, and assumes no liability for use of this information.
