Phosphonates for Water Treatment Formulations
What are phosphonates?
Phosphonates are multi-functional metal ion control agents. The unique combination of properties found in phosphonates makes them well suited to address many of the problems encountered in the use of water. Thus, they have become a widely used component in water treatment formulations. In recent years they have also found their way into numerous other applications where metal ion control is crucial to a product or process, such as detergents, cleaners, peroxide stabilization, oil field, swimming pools and spas, and many others.
Phosphonates offer a unique combination of functions
- “Threshold Effect” scale inhibition: the ability of very small amounts of scale inhibitors to
keep large quantities of scalants in solution - Sequestration: the ability to inactivate a metal ion and keep it in solution,
preventing its negative side-effects - Dispersion: prevents the agglomeration of scale particles
- Corrosion Control: provides synergistic corrosion control when used with zinc,
phosphates, nitrates, molybdates, and others
Industries and applications using phosphonates for scale control include Cooling water, Boiler water, Detergents and cleaners, Oil field, Pulp and paper, Reverse osmosis, and Swimming pools.
| Description | Chemistry | CaCO3 | CaSO4 | BaSO4 SrSO4 | Corrosion Control | Thermal Stability | High Ca Tolerance | Iron Tolerance | Chlorine Stability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATMP | Aminotri (methylene phosphonic acid) | ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ | ■ |
| Na5ATMP | Penta sodium salt of Aminotri (methylene phosphonic acid) | ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ | ■ |
| BHMT | Bis [Hexamethylene triamine penta (Methylene phosphonic acid)] | ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ | ■ |
| DETPMP | Diethylenetriamine penta (methylenephosphonic acid) | ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ | ■ |
| NaxDETPMP | Partially neutralized Diethylenetriamine penta (methylenephosphonic acid) | ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ | ■ |
| HEDP | (1-Hydroxyethylidene-1,1-Diphosphonic Acid) | ■ ■ | ■ ■ | ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ |
| Na4HEDP (liquid and powder) | Tetrasodium salt of 1-Hydroxyethylidene-1,1-diphosphonic acid | ■ ■ | ■ ■ | ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ |
| HEMPA | N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-N, N-di (methylenephosphonic acid) | ■ ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ | ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ | ■ |
| K6HMDTMP | Hexapotassium salt of hexa-methylene diaminetetra (methylenephosphonic acid) | ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ | ■ | |
| PAPEMP | Polyamino Polyethermethylene Phosphonic Acid | ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ | ■ |
| PBTC | 2-Phosphonobutane-1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid | ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ | ■ ■ | ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ | ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ |
Contact us for your phosphonate needs
We have the expertise and products you need for any water treatment, cleaning, or mining application to treat scale. Let our water experts help you find the right product for your needs. We offer a wide range of water treatment chemicals to facilities across the United States and Canada.
Additionally, we want to make buying your products as simple as possible, so get in touch online to start enjoying an ongoing partnership and our expertise in meeting your water treatment chemical needs. Water is life and we are here to help.
Start the conversation