Maleic Anhydride–Acrylic Acid Copolymer MA-AA Poly (maleicanhydride-acrylicacidcopolymer) CAS 26677-99-6

Tree Chem manufactures Maleic Anhydride–Acrylic Acid Copolymer (MA-AA) CAS 26677-99-6 for customers who want to purchase a dependable low-molecular-weight polymer for scale inhibition and dispersion in demanding water-treatment applications. The MA-AA structure distorts crystal growth and keeps inorganic deposits finely dispersed, helping maintain heat-exchange efficiency and reducing downtime.

Supplied as brown-red or light-yellow transparent liquids depending on grade, MA-AA performs well in high-hardness, high-alkalinity, and high-temperature systems, and can be blended with phosphonates, other polycarboxylates, and corrosion inhibitors in multi-component formulations. For cooperation, product selection, or formulation advice, you are welcome to contact info@cntreechem.com.

Specification

Basic Information

*Polymer formula is expressed on a representative structural-unit basis.

Technical Specification

Applications

Water Treatment Industry

• Maleic acid–acrylic acid copolymer (MA/AA) is first and foremost a core scale inhibitor and dispersant for industrial water systems, especially circulating cooling-water in power, chemical, metallurgical and fertilizer plants. Its chain carries dense carboxyl groups from both maleic and acrylic units, giving strong complexation with Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺ and Fe³⁺ while simultaneously adsorbing on CaCO₃, CaSO₄ and Ca₃(PO₄)₂ microcrystals. This dual chelation–dispersion mechanism distorts crystal growth, keeps crystallites extremely fine and prevents them from adhering to heat-exchange surfaces, allowing systems to run at higher cycles of concentration with clean equipment and stable heat-transfer performance.
• In practical cooling-water use, MA/AA is usually supplied as a 5–10 % aqueous solution and dosed at 5–20 mg/L based on hardness and alkalinity, with 2–15 mg/L common when it is used alone. Low-molecular-weight grades in the 2000–4000 range are favored for dispersant and scale-control duties because they provide strong threshold inhibition without bridge flocculation; higher-molecular-weight material is reserved for conditions demanding greater steric hindrance or high-temperature operation. Field data show that a 10 mg/L dosage of MA/AA with molecular weight around 2400 can cut boiler scale-growth rates from roughly 0.3 mm/year down to about 0.05 mm/year, while also lowering phosphorus discharge versus traditional phosphate programs.
• MA/AA also performs effectively in boiler-water treatments. In low-pressure boilers it is used at 10–30 mg/L, either alone or blended with organophosphonates, to prevent carbonate and sulfate deposits on tube surfaces, extend cleaning intervals and maintain low fouling heat resistance at typical operating temperatures. For medium- and high-pressure boilers it is commonly combined with phosphate treatment at about 15–30 mg/L, where its high thermal stability and resistance to oxidation allow it to maintain chelating and dispersing power under elevated temperature and pressure. Plant experience has shown that MA/AA-containing programs hold tube-wall scale well below industry limits and bring measurable energy savings by recovering heat-exchange efficiency.
• In oilfield water-injection systems, MA/AA is applied in the 10–50 mg/L range to prevent CaCO₃ and BaSO₄ precipitation in injection lines, wellbores and near-wellbore formations. Its carboxylate groups ionize to give negatively charged sites that chelate Ca²⁺, Cu²⁺ and Fe³⁺, increasing their solubility and suppressing the formation of hard crystalline deposits that would otherwise plug pores and raise injection pressure. In fracturing fluids, MA/AA is also used as a loss-control and anti-scale additive, lowering filtrate, improving fracture conductivity and supporting longer effective fracture lengths. In water-based drilling fluids, 30 % MA/AA solutions function as viscosity-reducers and filtrate-loss agents, improving mud-cake quality and offering practical resistance to temperature and salinity in standard water-based mud formulations.
• In reverse-osmosis (RO) systems for seawater desalination, brackish-water treatment and industrial wastewater, MA/AA serves as a high-efficiency membrane antiscalant. It operates over pH 2–10 and temperatures up to about 80 °C, with 3–10 mg/L typical for general fouling control and 10–30 mg/L used when strong suppression of Ca₃(PO₄)₂ and silica-related scale is required. The polymer chelates metal ions, disperses colloids and suspended solids and adsorbs at crystal growth points so that only soft, loosely structured crystals form, which are readily swept away by cross-flow. MA/AA is widely included in composite RO antiscalants together with acrylic-type polymers, PASP, AA/AMPS copolymers and phosphonates to deliver robust protection in complex feed waters such as mine water and high-hardness industrial effluents.

Pulp and Paper Industry

• In the pulp and paper industry, MA/AA is used from the pulping stage through bleaching, sheet formation and coating. During pulping, metal ions such as Fe, Cu and Mn catalyze peroxide decomposition and generate dark complexes with lignin fragments, reducing brightness and stability. Adding MA/AA at about 0.01–0.1 % on oven-dry pulp complexes these metals, suppresses non-productive decomposition of oxidants and improves pulp whiteness and brightness retention. At the same time, MA/AA acts as a dispersant for nano- and micro-calcium carbonate fillers; by lowering particle surface energy and improving slurry rheology, it enhances dispersion uniformity, leading to higher opacity, better whiteness and fewer fiber-floc-related breaks on the machine.
• In peroxide bleaching sequences, MA/AA is incorporated into composite bleaching-aid systems together with polyepoxysuccinate, acrylic acid, allyloxy hydroxypropyl sulfonate and stabilizers. Within these formulations, MA/AA functions as an auxiliary chelating agent that helps suppress hydrogen-peroxide decomposition, allowing lower oxidant dosage while achieving equal or higher brightness. Paper mills report increased brightness by several percentage points and a reduction in yellowing tendency when MA/AA-containing bleaching aids are used, along with reduced fiber damage.
• At the wet end of the paper machine, MA/AA at 0.01–0.1 % on oven-dry pulp serves as a retention and dispersion aid that enhances the retention of fillers and fines, stabilizes white-water circuits and improves formation. Sheets made under such conditions show more uniform basis weight, smoother surfaces and better printability. In pigment-coating formulations, MA/AA acts as an anionic dispersant for high-solids (65–70 %) coating colors. Relative molecular mass in the 2000–4000 range provides a good balance between strong electrostatic stabilization and manageable viscosity, allowing higher solids, lower viscosity, improved gloss and better leveling of coated grades.

Textile Printing and Dyeing Industry

• In textile printing and dyeing, MA/AA is a versatile chelating dispersant and bath stabilizer used in pretreatment, dyeing, printing and finishing operations. During desizing and scouring, 0.5–2 g/L MA/AA at pH 7–11 and 30–95 °C complexes Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Fe³⁺ and other ions that would otherwise catalyze breakdown of auxiliaries or damage fibers. Its dispersing action helps remove size and hydrophobic impurities more completely, resulting in better absorbency and more uniform preparation for subsequent bleaching and dyeing.
• In bleaching baths, MA/AA continues to function as a chelating dispersant that protects hydrogen peroxide from metal-catalyzed decomposition. By binding trace metal ions in the liquor and on the fiber surface, it reduces strength loss, pinholes and uneven bleaching, and improves final whiteness. This is particularly valuable for high-speed continuous bleaching ranges, where bath stability and fiber protection are critical to consistent quality.
• In dyeing processes using reactive, disperse or other hydrophobic dyes, MA/AA is employed at 1–3 g/L as a combined chelating dispersant and leveling agent over pH 4–10 and temperatures up to 130 °C. It prevents dye–metal precipitation in hard water, improves dispersion stability of dye particles and moderates dye uptake rates so that color develops more evenly across the fabric. Mills report higher first-pass right-first-time rates, reduced re-dyeing and better shade reproducibility when MA/AA is included. In print pastes it is used at 0.2–1.0 % of total paste as a chelating, anti-flocculation component that maintains viscosity and keeps pigments and dyes well dispersed, producing sharp outlines, bright shades and reduced halo or flooding.
• In finishing and after-treatments, MA/AA at 0.1–0.5 g/L acts as a metal-ion blocker and synergist for softeners and other finishing agents. By removing residual metals from water and fabric surfaces, it helps prevent spotting and enhances the distribution of softeners and performance additives. MA/AA is also used as a component in alkaline cleaning formulations (3–5 g/L at pH 5–9, 50–80 °C) for dyeing and printing equipment, where its chelating and dispersing effects assist in removing scale and dye residues from machine surfaces and pipelines.

Building Materials and Construction Industry

• In building materials, MA/AA and its derivatives are key components in high-performance cement and gypsum systems. They are widely used as raw materials for polycarboxylate superplasticizers, cement grinding aids, gypsum retarders and tile adhesives. As part of polycarboxylate water-reducing agents, MA/AA provides carboxyl functionality that strongly adsorbs on cement particles, disperses agglomerates and creates electrostatic and steric repulsion. With molecular weight typically 10,000–20,000 and acid content above about 85 %, MA/AA-based backbones deliver high water-reduction rates, good slump retention and improved early and final strengths in modern high-performance concrete.
• In cement grinding, MA/AA is included as a dispersant component in composite liquid grinding aids containing triethanolamine, glycerol, unsaturated polyethers, polyvinyl alcohol, carboxymethyl cellulose and sugars. These formulations adsorb on freshly ground cement surfaces, reduce powder agglomeration, increase mill throughput and improve particle-size distribution. Industrial trials indicate that such MA/AA-containing grinding aids can raise grinding efficiency by 10–15 % at very low dosage (0.01–0.1 % of cement mass), while also supporting gains in early strength.
• MA/AA is also employed as a gypsum set-retarder. When used at 0.01–0.1 % of gypsum mass, it adsorbs on crystal surfaces, slows nucleation and growth and allows flexible adjustment of setting time from about 2 to 8 hours, without compromising final hardness or compatibility with other additives. This makes it suitable for plaster, jointing compounds, gypsum putties, boards, fillers and prefabricated gypsum elements. In tile adhesives, MA/AA acts as a water-retention and thickening agent; a typical formulation contains 40–60 % cement, 30–50 % quartz sand, 2–5 % redispersible polymer powder, 0.2–0.5 % cellulose ether and 0.1–0.3 % MA/AA, achieving water-retention rates of at least 80 %, extended open time and improved workability and adhesion.

Daily Chemical and Personal-Care Industry

• In daily chemical products, MA/AA is valued as a phosphorus-free chelating agent, builder and stabilizer that helps formulators meet stricter environmental standards while maintaining cleaning performance. In laundry powders and liquids, 0.1–0.5 % MA/AA softens hard water by binding Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺, prevents inorganic deposits on fabrics and protects enzymes, fragrances and optical brighteners from metallic catalysis. This results in clearer liquids, more stable powders and better detergency across a wide range of water qualities.
• In dishwashing liquids and kitchen or bathroom cleaners, MA/AA is used at 0.5–1.5 % alongside surfactants such as alkyl polyglucosides. It chelates metal ions contributing to scale and stains on glass, ceramic and stainless-steel surfaces, improves removal of film and spots and helps maintain product clarity over shelf life. As a phosphorus-free alternative to STPP, it supports low- or zero-phosphate formulations aimed at reducing eutrophication in receiving waters.
• In personal-care products, MA/AA acts mainly as a chelating and stabilizing component. In skin-care formulations it binds trace metals that could otherwise cause discoloration or oxidative degradation. In oxidative hair dyes it stabilizes oxidants, reducing premature peroxide decomposition and supporting consistent shade development. In shampoos and body washes, MA/AA enhances performance in hard water by preventing soap scum and improving surfactant efficiency, and it helps maintain viscosity and clarity across the product’s lifetime.

Oilfield Chemicals and Energy Systems

• In oilfield chemistry, beyond its role in injection-water scale control, MA/AA features in drilling fluids and tertiary oil-recovery packages. In water-based muds, 30 % MA/AA solutions are used as viscosity reducers and filtrate-loss additives that improve mud-cake density and reduce filtrate invasion into formations, contributing to borehole stability. Its tolerance to elevated temperature and salinity suits typical conditions in many drilling operations.
• MA/AA-type structures are also part of polymer systems for enhanced oil recovery. When combined with partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide and other components, they help adjust the viscosity and mobility of injected water, improving sweep efficiency and increasing ultimate oil recovery in mature fields. At the same time, MA/AA-based additives keep waters clean by suppressing scale, protecting injection facilities and reservoirs from blockage.

Agriculture and Soil Improvement

• In agriculture, MA/AA chemistry supports water-retention, nutrient-efficiency and soil-conditioning functions through polyacrylate-type super-absorbent materials and related systems. Cross-linked polyacrylate resins prepared with MA/AA technology can absorb hundreds of times their own weight in water and retain over 90 % of that capacity in soils with pH between 2 and 10. Applied at 0.1–0.5 % of soil mass, they significantly raise soil water content, extend crop drought-tolerance and stabilize moisture conditions around plant roots.
• MA/AA-derived materials also act as fertilizer efficiency enhancers by reducing nitrogen leaching and holding more ammonium, nitrate, phosphate and potassium in the root zone. By binding nutrients and moderating their release, they increase water–fertilizer utilization and boost biomass yields, while lowering nutrient losses through runoff and deep percolation. In addition, they help improve soil structure by stabilizing aggregates and increasing porosity, which enhances infiltration, aeration and root development in arid and semi-arid regions.

Advanced and Emerging Applications

• Beyond traditional sectors, MA/AA is being applied in pharmaceutical and advanced-material contexts. As a pH-responsive polyelectrolyte with good water solubility and biocompatibility, it can be incorporated into drug-delivery systems where swelling behavior and ionization are tuned to different regions of the gastrointestinal tract. Its carboxyl groups support bioadhesion and polyelectrolyte complex formation with polycations such as chitosan, creating controlled-release matrices for macromolecular drugs.
• In nanomaterials and other high-value areas, MA/AA is used as a dispersant and stabilizer, particularly for nano-calcium carbonate and other inorganic pigments where it prevents agglomeration and maintains fine particle size. It also contributes to water-quality control in high-tech processes such as semiconductor and electronic-component manufacturing, where ultra-low metal content and reliable chelation are essential.

Storage & Handling

• Store in tightly closed plastic drums in a cool, well-ventilated area.
• Keep away from direct sunlight and sources of heat.
• Avoid contact with strong oxidizing agents and strong alkalis.
• Ensure transfer equipment and storage tanks are clean, dry, and corrosion-resistant.
• Ground all equipment during loading and unloading to prevent static discharge.

Usage Notice

• Wear suitable protective gloves, goggles, and clothing when handling the product.
• When diluting, slowly add MA-AA into water with stirring; do not add water into the product.
• Check compatibility before mixing with cationic polymers or highly alkaline formulations.
• Follow local regulations for storage, transport, and disposal of chemical products.
• In case of spills, absorb with inert material and dispose of according to environmental requirements.
• Cooling-water base program: MA/AA used alone at 2–15 mg/L in industrial circulating cooling-water acts as a scale inhibitor and dispersant, providing calcium-scale inhibition typically above 95 % and keeping heat-exchange surfaces clean.
• Phosphorus-free cooling-water formulation: a low-phosphorus environmental program using 15 mg/L MA/AA, 14 mg/L sodium gluconate, 13 mg/L benzotriazole, 18 mg/L sodium molybdate and 14 mg/L hexamethylenetetramine (total 74 mg/L) achieves scale-inhibition of about 92.63 % and corrosion-inhibition of about 92.78 % in recirculating systems.
• Cooling-water blend with phosphates: a composite inhibitor containing 7–9 ppm sodium hexametaphosphate, 4–5 ppm MA/AA, 5–6 ppm HEDP, 0.8–1 ppm mercaptobenzothiazole and 0.5–1 ppm chlorine (total 22–25 ppm) is used in large chemical-plant and power-plant cooling-water and in boiler-feed circuits to control scale and corrosion.
• Low-pressure boiler treatment: MA/AA dosed at 10–30 mg/L in low-pressure boiler water, alone or blended with organophosphonates, prevents carbonate and sulfate scaling on tube surfaces and extends chemical-cleaning intervals.
• Medium- and high-pressure boiler program: a treatment scheme in which 15–30 mg/L MA/AA is combined with appropriate phosphate dosage maintains low scale formation on high-pressure boiler surfaces and keeps water-wall deposits well below typical 1.0 mm limits.
• Oilfield injection-water inhibitor: MA/AA added at 10–50 mg/L in oilfield return-water injection systems complexes Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺ and Ba²⁺, prevents CaCO₃ and BaSO₄ precipitation, stabilizes injection pressure and maintains injectivity.
• Fracturing-fluid anti-scale package: fracturing fluids incorporating MA/AA as a scale inhibitor and loss-control component reduce filtrate by around 40 % and increase effective fracture length compared with conventional fluid systems under the same conditions.
• Drilling-fluid viscosity reducer: a 30 % MA/AA water solution is used in water-based drilling fluids as a viscosity reducer and filtrate-loss additive, lowering filtrate rate, improving mud-cake quality and providing practical resistance to temperature and salinity.
• Reverse-osmosis antiscalant: MA/AA dosed at 3–10 mg/L in RO feed prevents general membrane fouling, and at 10–30 mg/L it strongly suppresses Ca₃(PO₄)₂ and silica-containing scale over pH 2–10 and temperatures up to 80 °C, helping maintain flux and extend membrane life.
• RO composite antiscalant for brackish water: a standard formulation containing 12.5 % acrylic-type polymer, 8 % PASP, 6 % AA/AMPS copolymer, 1 % PAPEMP, 2 % PBTCA and the balance water uses MA/AA chemistry in the polymer component and is dosed at several mg/L to protect brackish-water RO systems.
• Cooling-water “green” program: an environmentally oriented circulating-water formulation in which MA/AA is combined with tannin, sodium gluconate, PASP, IA/AMPS copolymer, zinc sulfate and sodium silicate at optimized ratios achieves high scale- and corrosion-inhibition while reducing phosphate discharge.
• Pulping chelating agent: MA/AA added at 0.01–0.1 % on oven-dry pulp in chemical pulping complexes Fe, Cu and Mn ions, reduces non-productive peroxide decomposition and raises pulp brightness and whiteness stability.
• Peroxide-bleaching auxiliary: a bleaching-aid composition based on 20–40 parts sodium polyepoxysuccinate, 0.5–5 parts initiator, 15–30 parts acrylic acid, 1–3 parts allyloxy hydroxypropyl sulfonate sodium, 2–8 parts MA/AA and 1–4 parts stabilizer stabilizes hydrogen peroxide, increases bleaching efficiency and improves brightness stability.
• Papermaking wet-end additive: MA/AA dosed at 0.01–0.1 % on oven-dry pulp in the wet end acts as a retention and dispersion aid, improving filler retention, sheet formation and machine runnability.
• Coating-color dispersant: MA/AA used at 0.1–0.6 % on pigment solids with relative molecular mass 2000–4000 in 65–70 % solids coating colors reduces viscosity, improves pigment dispersion and increases gloss and smoothness of coated paper.
• Textile pretreatment liquor: MA/AA applied at 0.5–2 g/L in desizing and bleaching baths at pH 7–11 and 30–95 °C chelates hardness ions, stabilizes hydrogen peroxide and improves fabric cleanliness and whiteness.
• Reactive and disperse-dye dyeing bath: MA/AA at 1–3 g/L in dye baths operating between pH 4–10 and 40–130 °C acts as a chelating dispersant and leveling agent, preventing dye flocculation and promoting uniform shade development.
• Printing-paste stabilizer: MA/AA used at 0.2–1.0 % of total print-paste mass at pH 5–8 stabilizes viscosity, chelates metal ions and prevents dye and pigment aggregation, ensuring clear, bright and sharply defined printed patterns.
• Textile finishing bath: MA/AA at 0.1–0.5 g/L in finishing baths at pH 6–8 and 40–60 °C blocks residual metal ions, improves distribution of softeners and finishing agents and enhances handle and appearance of treated fabrics.
• Concrete superplasticizer backbone: MA/AA with molecular weight between 10,000 and 20,000 and acid content above about 85 % is used at 0.3–0.6 % of total cementitious material as the backbone of polycarboxylate high-range water reducers, achieving water-reduction rates in the 15–25 % range and improving concrete strength.
• Cement grinding-aid formulation: a composite liquid grinding aid comprising 10–20 % triethanolamine, 5–10 % glycerol, 5–10 % acrylic acid, 5–10 % unsaturated polyether, 5–10 % polyvinyl alcohol, 5–10 % carboxymethyl cellulose, 5–10 % syrup and a few percent MA/AA as dispersant is dosed at 0.01–0.1 % of cement mass to improve grinding efficiency by roughly 10–15 %.
• Gypsum retarder: MA/AA used at 0.01–0.1 % of gypsum mass in plaster, jointing compounds, gypsum boards and other gypsum products retards setting by 2–8 hours, improves workability and water retention and maintains final strength.
• Tile-adhesive modifier: in a typical tile adhesive of 40–60 % cement, 30–50 % quartz sand, 2–5 % redispersible latex powder and 0.2–0.5 % cellulose ether, an addition of 0.1–0.3 % MA/AA raises water-retention to at least 80 %, extends open time to around two hours and improves rheology and adhesion.
• Phosphorus-free laundry liquid: a low-phosphate or phosphate-free laundry liquid using 0.1–0.5 % MA/AA with 15–25 % surfactant, alkaline builders, brighteners and fragrance softens hard water, enhances detergency and replaces STPP to reduce eutrophication impact.
• Eco dishwashing liquid: a dishwashing formulation based on 8–12 % alkyl polyglucoside, 0.5–1.0 % MA/AA, 2–3 % sodium citrate, 3–5 % ethanol and the balance deionized water chelates metal ions, improves removal of inorganic and metallic soils and maintains product clarity during storage.
• Personal-care dye system: oxidative hair dyes containing 0.1–0.5 % MA/AA use its chelating and stabilizing action to protect oxidants from premature decomposition and improve color consistency and storage stability.
• Soil water-retention agent: cross-linked MA/AA-based polyacrylate super-absorbent resin applied at 0.1–0.5 % of soil mass delivers water-absorption ratios in the 100–500-fold range and retains more than 90 % of its absorption capacity between pH 2 and 10, significantly extending crop drought-tolerance time.
• Fertilizer efficiency enhancer: MA/AA-type materials incorporated at about 0.05–0.2 % of fertilizer mass reduce nitrogen leaching by more than 30 %, retain more nutrients in the root zone and improve water–fertilizer utilization and crop biomass yield.
• Oilfield drilling-fluid additive: 30 % MA/AA solution used at application-specific dosages in water-based drilling fluids acts as a viscosity reducer and fluid-loss agent, lowering filtrate volume, improving mud-cake quality and enhancing resistance to temperature and salinity in drilling operations.

Packaging

• 25 kg plastic drum
• 200 kg plastic drum
• Other packaging sizes can be supplied according to customer requirements.