Polyepoxysuccinic Acid PESA Polyoxirane-2,3-dicarboxylic acid CAS 51274-37-4

Tree Chem manufactures Polyepoxysuccinic Acid (PESA) with stable quality and reliable performance for applications that require green, phosphorus-free scale control. PESA effectively inhibits calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, and barium sulfate scale formation, while also providing good dispersing ability for suspended solids. Due to its high biodegradability and low toxicity, PESA is suitable for industries requiring stringent environmental standards.

This product is supplied as a colorless to light-yellow transparent liquid with good chemical stability, making it compatible with a wide range of cooling-water treatment chemicals. PESA is especially suitable for systems requiring long-term operation, high cycling concentration, or zero-phosphorus discharge. For cooperation or formulation support, contact info@cntreechem.com.

Specification

Basic Information

Technical Specification

Applications

Water Treatment Industry

• Polyepoxysuccinic acid (PESA) is first and foremost a green, phosphorus-free, nitrogen-free scale and corrosion inhibitor used across industrial water treatment systems such as circulating cooling water, boiler water, oilfield injection water and reverse-osmosis (RO) plants. Its polymeric structure carries multiple carboxyl groups that dissociate in water to form negatively charged carboxylate sites, giving PESA strong chelating power toward Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Fe²⁺ and other cations, together with lattice distortion and dispersion effects on crystal growth. Through these combined mechanisms PESA can block scale-forming ions, distort CaCO₃ and CaSO₄ crystal lattices into loose, non-adherent forms, and keep particles dispersed in the bulk water rather than deposited on heat-exchange surfaces or pipes.
• In industrial circulating cooling-water systems of petrochemical plants, power stations and other large facilities, PESA is dosed as a core inhibitor that allows high-alkalinity, high-hardness and high-pH operation at elevated concentration ratios. Within typical ranges of a few to several tens of milligrams per liter, PESA chelates hardness ions, disperses suspended solids and forms a protective film on metal surfaces, so that heat exchangers maintain high thermal efficiency and the frequency of mechanical cleaning and descaling is greatly reduced. Case experience shows that cooling systems adopting PESA can improve heat-transfer performance, lower fouling-related downtime and reduce annual maintenance costs while meeting stricter environmental rules due to its phosphorus-free nature.
• In boiler-water treatment, PESA is used to prevent internal scaling and corrosion on boiler walls and tubes, taking advantage of its good thermal stability and resistance to oxidation under typical boiler conditions. By binding Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ and disturbing the formation of dense CaCO₃ and CaSO₄ deposits, PESA keeps internal surfaces cleaner and preserves heat-transfer efficiency, while its film-forming behavior on steel helps lower corrosion rates. In power-plant boilers this translates into higher allowable alkalinity, longer running cycles between chemical cleanings and more stable steam output with a reduced risk of tube failure caused by overheating under scale.
• Oilfield water treatment is another important downstream sector where PESA is applied to injection water, fracturing fluids and produced-water circuits. Formation and injected waters commonly contain high concentrations of calcium, magnesium and barium, which readily generate CaCO₃ and BaSO₄ scales that plug wellbores, tubing and surface pipelines; PESA alone provides good inhibition of carbonate and barium sulfate scales and, when compounded with other polymeric and phosphonate agents, extends control to a broader spectrum including calcium sulfate. In practical oilfield use, PESA-based blends maintain flow capacity in injection lines and downhole equipment, reduce the need for acidizing or mechanical scale removal, and improve the overall stability of water-flooding and enhanced-recovery operations.
• In reverse-osmosis and related membrane systems, PESA functions as a high-efficiency antiscalant for sea-water desalination, brackish-water purification and industrial wastewater reuse. Its chelating, lattice-distortion and dispersion effects suppress deposition of CaCO₃, CaSO₄, BaSO₄ and other inorganic scales on RO membranes, while its phosphorus-free structure minimizes the risk of nutrient-driven biofouling in sensitive marine environments. Field projects demonstrate that PESA compounded with polyacrylate, polyaspartate or cellulose derivatives can markedly slow membrane-fouling rates, extend cleaning intervals, stabilize permeate flow and extend membrane service life by several years, simultaneously lowering replacement costs and reducing the phosphorus load in concentrate streams.

Pulp and Paper Industry

• In the pulp and paper industry, PESA is used as a chelating agent, dispersant, deposit controller and retention aid throughout pulping, bleaching and papermaking. During chemical pulping, raw materials introduce iron, copper, manganese and other metal ions that catalyze peroxide decomposition and darken cellulose; PESA complexes these metals and helps maintain a cleaner liquor environment, thereby improving pulp brightness and reducing chemical consumption. As a dispersant for mineral fillers such as nano-calcium carbonate, it lowers particle surface energy, improves suspension fluidity and promotes fine, uniform particle distribution in the slurry.
• In bleaching operations, PESA plays a key role in stabilizing hydrogen peroxide and enhancing overall bleaching efficiency. When PESA or its sodium salt is introduced into polymerization systems containing acrylic acid and allyloxy hydroxypropyl sulfonate, the in-situ generated copolymer acts as a highly effective bleaching auxiliary, inhibiting non-productive peroxide decomposition and enabling higher brightness at lower oxidant dosage. Typical multi-component auxiliaries containing PESA, initiator, acrylic monomer, sulfonated monomer, chelants and stabilizers demonstrate strong synergy with peroxide, improving brightness development and reducing fiber damage and process variability.
• In the papermaking machine system, PESA is applied as a retention and dispersion aid at low dosages relative to dry pulp to improve filler and fine-fiber retention on the sheet while maintaining good formation. By dispersing pigments, fillers and fines and controlling metal-ion-induced agglomeration, PESA contributes to better basis-weight uniformity, opacity, whiteness and printing performance, with fewer defects such as pinholes and specks. It also reduces scaling and deposits in white-water circuits, headboxes and wet-end equipment by chelating hardness and dispersing solid particles, which helps keep machines clean and reduces downtime for washing and boil-outs.

Textile Printing and Dyeing Industry

• In textile printing and dyeing, PESA is widely used as a chelating dispersant, stabilizer and color-fixing auxiliary in desizing, scouring, bleaching, dyeing, printing and equipment-cleaning processes. During pre-treatment steps such as desizing and bleaching, PESA complexes calcium and magnesium ions in process water and on fiber surfaces, preventing them from catalyzing breakdown of starch sizes or hydrogen peroxide and thereby improving desizing efficiency and whiteness development. Typical pre-treatment conditions use PESA in the low grams per liter range over a broad pH and temperature window, often together with wetting agents and stabilizers to build robust recipes for cotton and blends.
• In dyeing processes with reactive or disperse dyes, PESA acts as both a chelating agent and a dispersant that keeps dye molecules well dispersed and prevents metal-ion bridging or salt-induced flocculation. By controlling hardness ions and stabilizing dye particles in baths operating from mildly acidic to strongly alkaline conditions and from moderate to high temperatures, PESA improves levelness, shade reproducibility and overall color yield. Its presence also reduces the formation of insoluble complexes that can deposit on fabrics or equipment, thereby lowering rework rates and improving dye-house productivity.
• For equipment cleaning in textile mills—such as dyeing machines, printing ranges, pipelines and spray-water systems—PESA is incorporated into cleaning formulations to remove scale, deposits and dye residues. In such applications it chelates metal ions in scale, disperses solid particles and assists alkaline or acidic components in lifting deposits from surfaces, while its own corrosion-inhibiting behavior helps protect metal equipment. Experience in air-conditioning spray-water systems within textile plants shows that PESA-based inhibitors can stabilize hardness, pH, conductivity and scaling indices over extended operation, which confirms its suitability for integrated textile water-treatment programs.

Metal Processing and Surface Treatment Industry

• In metal processing, PESA is employed as a key component in metal-cleaning agents, as a surface-treatment additive and as a complexing agent in non-cyanide electroplating systems. For cleaning of steel and non-ferrous parts, PESA is blended with organic or inorganic acids such as glycolic acid, citric acid or sulfamic acid to accelerate dissolution of oxide scale, rust and hard water deposits while limiting acid consumption and controlling base-metal attack. Its strong chelating action captures dissolved metal ions and scale components, and its dispersing function keeps detached solids suspended so they are removed with the cleaning solution rather than redeposited.
• PESA also finds application in special-steel pickling formulations that combine polyamines, reducing agents, surfactants, PESA or related chelants, oxidants and water. In these systems PESA assists in controlled removal of complex oxides while moderating over-etching and enabling more uniform surface activation for subsequent coating or plating. In non-cyanide copper plating, PESA is part of the main complexant system along with other ligands, binding copper ions to form stable complexes that support smooth, compact, fine-grained deposits at practical operating pH and temperature, while avoiding the toxicity associated with cyanide chemistry.
• As a surface-treatment additive, PESA can be introduced into phosphating and passivating baths to adjust crystal morphology, improve coating compactness and enhance corrosion resistance and paint adhesion. Its interaction with metal ions at the substrate interface helps refine phosphate crystal size, reduce coating porosity and build more adherent conversion layers on steel, galvanized steel and other metals. In passivation baths PESA contributes to the formation of protective films that retard corrosion in service, offering additional environmental benefits over heavy-metal-rich passivation systems.

Daily Chemical and Personal-Care Industry

• In daily chemical products, PESA is increasingly used as a phosphate-free chelating and stabilizing component in laundry detergents, dishwashing liquids and other household and institutional cleaners. In laundry formulations, PESA binds calcium and magnesium ions in hard water, preventing the formation of insoluble salts and improving the cleaning power of anionic and nonionic surfactants while reducing graying and redeposition on fabrics. As a replacement or partial substitute for traditional builders such as sodium tripolyphosphate, PESA helps detergent manufacturers meet stricter phosphorus-discharge regulations without sacrificing washing performance.
• In dishwashing and hard-surface cleaners, PESA plays a similar role by chelating hardness ions and dispersing mineral soils, thus improving removal of limescale, water spots and metallic residues from tableware, glassware and kitchen or bathroom surfaces. Its presence in liquid products also helps prevent metal-ion-catalyzed degradation of dyes, fragrances and other active ingredients, thereby maintaining product clarity, viscosity and appearance during storage. The rapid increase in adoption of PESA by leading domestic and international brands in recent years reflects both its technical performance and its alignment with green-chemistry trends in the cleaning sector.
• Personal-care products such as shampoos, body washes, facial cleansers and hair dyes also incorporate PESA at low levels as a chelant and stabilizer. In shampoos and shower gels, PESA enhances cleansing in hard-water conditions by binding calcium and magnesium and reducing interactions that suppress foam or leave residue on hair and skin, while simultaneously protecting colorants and fragrances from metal-induced instability. In oxidative hair-dye systems, PESA is used to stabilize hydrogen peroxide or other oxidants, preventing premature decomposition and allowing more controlled color development during application, which improves reproducibility and end-user experience.

Pharmaceutical and Other Emerging Applications

• In the pharmaceutical field, PESA serves as a functional intermediate, a chelating component in formulation and a building block for degradable polymeric carriers. Its strong yet tunable chelation behavior toward metal ions enables the design of chelate drugs and stabilizing excipients that improve drug stability or bioavailability when metal-catalyzed degradation is a concern. Modified PESA derivatives have been studied as biodegradable, controlled-release carriers that degrade under simulated body-fluid conditions at more favorable rates than conventional materials such as polylactic acid, offering opportunities for improved release profiles of active ingredients.
• Beyond pharmaceuticals, PESA is applied in coatings, inks, food-related materials, nanomaterials and new-energy systems. In coatings and printing inks, it can act as a dispersant and stabilizer that improves pigment dispersion, storage stability and film properties. In nano-calcium carbonate and other nanomaterial systems, PESA effectively suppresses particle agglomeration and enhances suspension rheology, which translates into better performance in end-use applications such as paper, plastics and composites. In solar-thermal, wind-power and marine installations, PESA-based water-treatment programs protect cooling and circulation circuits from scale and corrosion under high-salt or high-temperature conditions, supporting efficient and sustainable operation in demanding environments.

Storage & Handling

• Store in tightly sealed plastic drums
• Keep in a cool, ventilated place away from direct sunlight
• Avoid contamination with strong oxidizers or strong acids
• Ensure equipment grounding and maintain clean transfer conditions

Usage Notice

• Wear protective gloves and goggles during operation
• Avoid mixing with strong acidic components before pH adjustment
• Test compatibility when used in multi-component formulations
• Dispose of according to local environmental regulations
• In general circulating cooling-water systems, PESA is used alone at 5–20 mg/L as a green scale inhibitor and dispersant to control CaCO₃ and CaSO₄ deposition and maintain high concentration cycles.
• For high-calcium cooling water, a composite program doses about 10 mg/L PESA together with 2 mg/L sodium polyacrylate to suppress carbonate scaling and reduce membrane or heat-exchange fouling rates.
• In sea-water desalination and high-salinity RO systems, a formulation of 15 mg/L PESA with 5 mg/L polyaspartic acid is applied to protect membranes, extend element service life to around four years and lower total phosphorus in concentrate.
• A high-efficiency multicomponent cooling-water inhibitor can be prepared from 30–35 % PESA, 18–28 % PBTCA, 15–20 % EDTMPA, 15–20 % AA/AMPS copolymer and 10–15 % phosphono-carboxylic copolymer, dosed at 8–15 mg/L for high-hardness, high-alkalinity systems requiring scale inhibition above 98 % and corrosion control above 90 %.
• For strictly phosphorus-controlled applications, a phosphorus-free water-treatment formulation may contain 5–10 % PESA, 1–5 % additional scale dispersant, 5–10 % organic acids, 5–10 % organic acid salts and 5–10 % chitosan derivatives, dosed at 10–30 mg/L to achieve high biodegradability and effective scale control.
• In RO antiscalants for brackish water, a typical concentrate is composed of about 12.5 % PESA, 8 % PASP, 6 % AA/AMPS, 1 % PAPEMP and 2 % PBTCA in purified water, added at appropriate ppm levels to prevent carbonate and sulfate scaling on membranes.
• In mine-water or high-turbidity RO systems, a formulation combining PESA with sodium carboxymethyl cellulose at around 80 mg/L total dosage is used to control scale and enhance dispersion of suspended solids.
• In pulping and papermaking, PESA is added at 0.5–3.0 % based on dry pulp in pulping or stock-preparation stages as a chelating and dispersing agent that improves pulp whiteness and filler dispersion.
• A peroxide-bleaching auxiliary for pulp can be formulated from 20–40 parts sodium PESA, 0.5–5 parts initiator, 15–30 parts acrylic acid, 1–3 parts allyloxy hydroxypropyl sulfonate, 2–8 parts chelating agent and 1–4 parts stabilizer to stabilize hydrogen peroxide and enhance brightness.
• In papermaking wet-end applications, PESA is used at 0.01–0.1 % on dry pulp as a retention and dispersion aid that raises filler retention and improves sheet uniformity.
• In textile pre-treatment for desizing and bleaching, PESA is applied at 0.5–2 g/L in baths operating at pH 7–11 and 30–95 °C, usually together with wetting agents and stabilizers, to chelate metals and stabilize peroxide.
• For reactive and disperse-dye dyeing processes, PESA is used at 1–3 g/L over pH 4–10 and 40–130 °C as a chelating dispersant and leveling agent to prevent dye flocculation and improve shade uniformity.
• For cleaning textile-printing and dyeing equipment, PESA is dosed at 3–5 g/L in baths at pH 5–9 and 50–80 °C, in combination with alkaline cleaners, to remove scale and deposits from machine surfaces.
• In metal-cleaning formulations, a typical acid cleaner contains 5–10 % glycolic acid and 1–3 % PESA, operated at 40–60 °C to remove oxide scale and water scale while moderating metal corrosion.
• A special-steel acid-pickling solution can be prepared from 5–9 parts diethylenetriamine, 12–18 parts complex reducing agent, 20–24 parts detergent, 7–9 parts amino triacetic acid or PESA, 7–12 parts potassium or sodium chlorate and 32–49 parts water to achieve controlled removal of complex oxides.
• In non-cyanide copper plating, baths typically contain 8–12 g/L copper, 80–250 g/L PESA-containing complexant, 20–30 g/L potassium sulfate and 40–60 g/L copper sulfate at pH 8.5–9.5 and 20–40 °C, delivering uniform, dense copper deposits at 0.5–1 A/dm².
• In phosphate-free laundry liquids, PESA is incorporated at 0.1–0.5 % alongside amino-acid carboxylate salts, 12–20 % sodium linear alkylbenzene sulfonate, 5–8 % water-soluble chitosan quaternary salt and minor salts and fragrance to soften hard water and enhance washing performance.
• In environmentally oriented dishwashing liquids and green cleaners, PESA is used at 0.5–1.5 % as a chelating and stabilizing agent that binds metal ions, boosts detergency and supports low-phosphorus or phosphorus-free product claims.
• In oxidative hair-dye formulations, PESA at 0.1–0.5 % is added as a chelating stabilizer for the oxidant component, helping to prevent premature decomposition and ensuring consistent color-development results on hair.

Packaging

• Plastic drums: 25 kg / 250 kg / 1250 kg (IBC)
• Custom packaging available on request