Quick Search
Potassium Polyacrylate is a carboxyl-containing potassium polyacrylamide derivative.
Potassium Polyacrylate has high water absorption, low production cost, simple processing technology, stable product quality, and long-term storage without deterioration.
Potassium Polyacrylate is a superabsorbent polymer (SAP) consisting of the potassium salt of polyacrylic acid.
CAS Number: 25608-12-2
Molecular Formula: C3H4O2
Molecular Weight: 72.06
Synonyms: (C3-H4-O2)x-.x-K, 2-Propenoic acid, homopolymer, potassium salt, 25608-12-2, Acrylic acid homopolymer potassium salt, Acrylic acid, polymers, potassium salt, Polyacrylic acid, potassium salt, Potassium polyacrylate, Potassiumpolyacrylate;Poly(acrylic acid) partial potassium salt;POLY(ACRYLIC ACID), POTASSIUM SALT, LIGH TLY CROSS-LINKED;Polyacrylsure, Kaliumsalz;Potassium polyacrylate poly(acrylic acid), potassium salt;POLY(ACRYLIC ACID), POTASSIUM SALT;2-Propenoicacid,homopolymer,potassiumsalt;Acrylic acid homopolymer potassium salt
Potassium Polyacrylate is commonly represented by the repeating-unit formula [–CH₂–CH(CO₂K)–]ₙ, with CAS No. 25608-12-2 and EC No. 607-755-0.
The polymer is produced by polymerizing acrylic acid while introducing potassium ions to neutralize the carboxylic acid groups.
The resulting material contains numerous potassium carboxylate groups along its polymer chains, which are responsible for its strong interaction with water.
Potassium Polyacrylate is generally supplied as a white to off-white powder or granular material.
Potassium Polyacrylate is odorless and essentially non-volatile under normal ambient conditions, which makes it convenient to handle as a dry polymer before hydration.
Potassium Polyacrylate is classified as a cross-linked superabsorbent polymer when formulated as an agricultural hydrogel.
Potassium Polyacrylate three-dimensional polymer network can swell substantially when water enters the structure, allowing large quantities of water to be retained within the polymer matrix.
The exceptional water absorption of Potassium Polyacrylate results from the combination of its hydrophilic carboxylate groups and the ionic nature of the polymer network.
When exposed to water, the charged polymer chains repel one another and expand, while the hydrophilic groups attract and retain water within the swollen structure.
Depending on the polymer structure, cross-linking density, particle size, and test conditions, Potassium Polyacrylate can absorb hundreds of times its own weight in water.
Reported absorption values vary considerably because dissolved salts, water quality, pressure, and polymer formulation strongly influence swelling capacity.
The absorption capacity is much lower in saline solutions than in purified water.
Ions present in water can screen the electrical charges within the polymer network and reduce its ability to expand, making ionic strength an important factor in practical applications.
Once hydrated, Potassium Polyacrylate forms a soft, swollen hydrogel rather than dissolving completely like a conventional low-molecular-weight salt.
The cross-linked structure allows the material to retain water while maintaining the integrity of the polymer network.
One of the most important characteristics of the polymer is its ability to absorb and subsequently release water.
Water retained inside the hydrogel can become available again as the surrounding environment becomes drier and the water potential of the soil decreases.
This reversible swelling behavior makes Potassium Polyacrylate particularly valuable in agricultural water-management applications.
When incorporated into soil, the hydrogel can function as a small water reservoir around plant roots and help increase the amount of water retained in the root zone.
Potassium Polyacrylate is especially associated with agricultural hydrogels and soil-conditioning products.
Potassium Polyacrylate has been investigated for field crops, horticulture, nurseries, landscaping, tree planting, turf management, and other applications where maintaining soil moisture is important.
The potassium counterion is particularly relevant to agricultural use.
Unlike sodium-based polyacrylates, potassium polyacrylate introduces potassium rather than sodium into the surrounding soil environment, which is one reason potassium-based SAPs have been developed specifically for agricultural applications.
Potassium Polyacrylate can also influence soil water-holding capacity and plant-available water.
Studies involving potassium polyacrylate hydrogels have reported increases in soil water status and plant-available water under appropriate application conditions.
The polymer can be particularly useful in water-limited and drought-prone environments.
Research has shown that incorporating potassium polyacrylate into soil can increase soil moisture and improve plant survival under drought-stress conditions, although the magnitude of the effect depends on soil type, polymer characteristics, irrigation, and application rate.
Another characteristic of Potassium Polyacrylate is its ability to interact with dissolved fertilizers and nutrients within the hydrated polymer environment.
This has led to research into using superabsorbent polymers as systems that can retain water-soluble nutrients and influence their movement and availability in the root zone.
The performance of Potassium Polyacrylate is strongly affected by cross-linking density.
Higher cross-linking generally strengthens the hydrogel network but can restrict swelling, whereas lower cross-linking can increase swelling while reducing mechanical stability.
Particle size is another important property because it influences the rate at which water enters the polymer and the speed at which the material reaches its swollen state.
For agricultural products, particle-size distribution is therefore commonly considered when evaluating hydration rate and field performance.
The material has also become an important subject of polymer and hydrogel research.
Researchers investigate Potassium Polyacrylate in relation to swelling behavior, water retention, soil hydrology, controlled release, drought management, and the development of more efficient agricultural materials.
Potassium Polyacrylate is best described as a water-absorbing, cross-linked potassium polyacrylate hydrogel used primarily as a superabsorbent material.
Potassium Polyacrylate combination of high water uptake, reversible swelling, water retention, and potassium-based chemistry makes it particularly important for agricultural water management and modern soil-conditioning technologies.
Potassium Polyacrylate also shows interesting ion-exchange behavior because its polymer network contains negatively charged carboxylate groups.
These groups can interact with cations present in soil water, which means the hydrogel can participate in the movement and retention of ions rather than functioning only as a passive water reservoir.
The presence of potassium as the counterion gives the material additional relevance for agricultural applications.
Research has demonstrated that potassium polyacrylate hydrogels can exchange ions with aqueous solutions, including removing sodium ions while releasing potassium ions under suitable conditions.
The pH of the surrounding environment can influence the swelling behavior of polyacrylate-based hydrogels.
Changes in the ionization state of carboxyl-containing groups affect the electrical interactions within the polymer network and consequently influence its water uptake and expansion.
Soil chemistry can therefore have a major effect on the actual performance of Potassium Polyacrylate.
Clay minerals, dissolved salts, exchangeable cations, organic matter, and soil pH can all influence the interaction between the polymer and the surrounding soil matrix.
The polymer can also influence the water-release behavior of soil.
Instead of allowing all absorbed water to remain freely available, the swollen hydrogel retains part of the water within its three-dimensional network and can gradually release it as the surrounding soil becomes drier.
Density: 0.4 g/mL at 25 °C(lit.)
form: solid
color: Off-white
Cosmetics Ingredients Functions: VISCOSITY CONTROLLING
InChI: 1S/C3H4O2.K/c1-2-3(4)5;/h2H,1H2,(H,4,5);/q;+1/p-1
InChIKey: ZUBIJGNKOJGGCI-UHFFFAOYSA-M
SMILES: [K+].OC(=O)C=C.[O-]C(=O)C=C
Potassium Polyacrylate can exhibit a very high swelling ratio, although the exact absorption capacity depends on cross-linking, particle size, water composition, and the particular commercial grade.
Agricultural potassium polyacrylate products have been reported to absorb several hundred times their own weight in water under favorable conditions.
The swelling process is driven largely by the negatively charged carboxylate groups distributed along the polymer network.
When water enters the network, electrostatic repulsion between charged polymer segments promotes expansion of the chains and creates additional space for water retention.
The material does not behave identically in every type of water.
Dissolved salts reduce swelling because ions in the surrounding solution screen the electrical charges of the polymer and reduce the osmotic driving force responsible for expansion.
This salt sensitivity is particularly important in agricultural applications because irrigation water and soil solutions naturally contain dissolved ions.
Consequently, laboratory absorption values obtained with deionized water can be substantially higher than the water retention achieved under actual soil conditions.
Potassium Polyacrylate can also modify the hydraulic properties of soil.
Potassium Polyacrylate on potassium polyacrylate hydrogels has shown increases in soil water retention and plant-available water, particularly in sandy and other soils with relatively low natural water-holding capacity.
The effect is not limited to simply storing additional water.
The swollen polymer can function as a localized water reservoir within soil pores, allowing water to remain available around the root zone for longer periods between irrigation or rainfall events.
Potassium polyacrylate hydrogels have been investigated at relatively low soil application rates.
Studies summarized in the scientific literature report increased plant-available water with potassium polyacrylate formulations applied at fractions of a percent by mass, although the optimum concentration depends strongly on soil texture and polymer characteristics.
The polymer can influence water movement through soil as well as water retention.
Because the swollen particles occupy pore space and retain water, increasing hydrogel concentration can alter hydraulic conductivity and infiltration behavior, meaning that application rate needs to be selected carefully rather than simply maximizing polymer content.
Swelling also generates measurable swelling pressure when the polymer is confined within soil pores.
Experiments with potassium-acrylate-containing superabsorbent polymers have demonstrated that this pressure varies with polymer concentration, soil texture, pore capacity, and particle characteristics.
The polymer's swelling and deswelling behavior can occur repeatedly.
After losing water to the surrounding soil, the polymer can absorb water again during subsequent irrigation or rainfall, providing a reusable moisture-retention mechanism rather than functioning as a single-use absorbent.
Potassium Polyacrylate is therefore also studied for drought management in agriculture.
By delaying the decline of soil moisture and maintaining greater water availability around plant roots, hydrogel amendments can help plants tolerate periods of reduced water supply.
Potassium Polyacrylate has investigated its use with different soil textures, including sandy soils, loamy soils, and clay-containing systems.
The magnitude of the improvement varies substantially because the initial pore structure, water-holding capacity, and interaction between soil particles and the hydrogel determine how much additional water can actually be retained.
Potassium Polyacrylate can also participate in water and nutrient management systems.
The hydrated polymer network can retain dissolved substances within its water-filled structure, which has encouraged research into combining superabsorbent polymers with nutrient-delivery and controlled-release technologies.
The polymer is particularly interesting for horticulture and nursery production.
Hydrogel incorporation into growing media can help maintain moisture around developing root systems, which is useful in situations where frequent irrigation is difficult or where plants are exposed to intermittent water stress.
Potassium Polyacrylate has also been investigated in hydroseeding and landscaping applications.
Its ability to retain irrigation water can be useful for establishing vegetation in exposed, dry, sandy, or otherwise water-limited environments.
Another developing area is the use of potassium polyacrylate-based materials for foliar moisture management and nutrient delivery.
Recent research has explored radiation-synthesized potassium polyacrylate as the polymer matrix for a sprayable formulation designed to retain moisture and deliver nutrients on plant surfaces.
The physical form of the polymer can also be tailored for different applications.
Potassium polyacrylate may be produced as powders or granules, while changes in particle size, porosity, and cross-linking influence hydration rate, maximum swelling, mechanical stability, and water-release behavior.
The balance between water absorption and mechanical stability is especially important when designing potassium polyacrylate hydrogels.
A highly swollen network can provide greater water uptake, whereas excessive swelling may reduce structural strength, so polymer architecture and cross-linking need to be optimized for the intended application.
Potassium Polyacrylate is more than simply a highly absorbent polymer.
Its combination of ionic functionality, reversible swelling, water retention, sensitivity to electrolyte concentration, and tunable network structure makes it an important material for agricultural hydrogels, soil conditioning, drought management, horticulture, landscaping, and emerging controlled-release technologies.
After irrigation or rainfall, the dry polymer hydrates and expands, while subsequent drying of the soil creates conditions in which water can progressively leave the swollen network and become available to nearby roots.
The particle size is another important characteristic.
Commercial cross-linked potassium polyacrylate hydrogels can be supplied as small granules, and smaller particles generally provide a larger effective surface area for rapid hydration compared with larger particles.
Particle size also affects how the material distributes through soil.
Fine particles can hydrate rapidly but may behave differently from larger granules in terms of handling, dispersion, swelling pressure, and persistence within soil pores.
The degree of cross-linking determines how freely the polymer chains can expand.
Lower cross-link density generally favors greater swelling, whereas stronger cross-linking restricts chain movement and can improve the structural stability of the hydrated network.
This creates an important design balance between absorption capacity and mechanical strength.
A hydrogel intended for repeated swelling and drying must maintain sufficient network integrity so that its water-retention performance does not rapidly deteriorate during repeated wetting cycles.
Potassium Polyacrylate can also affect the hydraulic conductivity of soil.
Because swollen particles occupy pore space and change the distribution of water within the soil matrix, increasing hydrogel concentration can alter infiltration and water movement rather than simply increasing total water storage.
For this reason, more polymer does not necessarily mean better agricultural performance.
Studies using polyacrylate-based hydrogels have reported beneficial changes in soil water retention across a range of relatively low application rates, while the response depends strongly on soil type and formulation.
Potassium Polyacrylate can also be incorporated into advanced fertilizer-delivery systems.
The hydrated polymer network provides a water-rich environment that can be used to influence the diffusion and release of dissolved nutrients, creating opportunities for slow-release or controlled-release agricultural formulations.
This principle is particularly interesting for reducing fertilizer losses.
By retaining water and influencing nutrient transport through the soil, hydrogel systems can potentially reduce rapid nutrient movement away from the root zone and improve nutrient-use efficiency.
The material is also being investigated in increasingly sophisticated agri-hydrogel systems.
Current research is moving beyond simple water storage toward multifunctional hydrogels designed to combine water retention, nutrient delivery, controlled release, and improved plant establishment.
Uses:
Potassium polyacrylate is used for shear thinning and anti-slump flocculation of downhole non-dispersed low-solid mud and polymer systems.
Potassium Polyacrylate is primarily used in agriculture as a superabsorbent soil-conditioning material.
Its cross-linked polymer structure absorbs and retains large quantities of water, allowing it to function as a localized moisture reservoir around plant roots.
One of its most established applications is improving soil water retention.
When incorporated into soil, the polymer swells after irrigation or rainfall and holds part of the available water within its hydrogel network, helping maintain moisture for longer periods between watering events.
Potassium Polyacrylate is particularly useful in water-limited and drought-prone agricultural areas.
By delaying the loss of soil moisture, hydrogel-treated soils can provide plants with access to water for longer periods and can reduce the frequency of irrigation required under suitable conditions.
The polymer is also used for drought-stress management in field crops.
Its application can help maintain a more favorable moisture environment around the root zone when rainfall or irrigation is insufficient, supporting plant growth during periods of water stress.
Another important application is seed germination and early seedling establishment.
Hydrogel-treated growing media can maintain moisture around newly germinating seeds, while commercial potassium polyacrylate products are marketed for improving germination and early root development.
Potassium Polyacrylate can also be incorporated into seed-coating formulations.
The hydrogel surrounding or near the seed can help maintain local moisture during germination, which is particularly useful when seeds are exposed to irregular irrigation or dry soil conditions.
The material is used in nursery production and seedling cultivation.
Potassium Polyacrylate ability to retain water near developing roots can help reduce moisture fluctuations and decrease seedling losses, with commercial formulations reporting improved seedling survival.
Another application is transplanting trees, shrubs, and other plants.
Potassium polyacrylate can be incorporated into the soil surrounding newly transplanted plants to provide an additional source of retained moisture while the developing root system becomes established.
It is also relevant to horticulture and greenhouse cultivation.
In controlled growing systems, the polymer can help stabilize moisture availability and reduce the impact of short interruptions between irrigation cycles.
Potassium Polyacrylate has applications in hydroponic and soilless cultivation systems as well.
Agricultural hydrogel products based on potassium polyacrylate have been investigated for use in hydroponics and other protected cultivation systems where water management is particularly important.
Another use is hydroseeding.
When incorporated into hydroseeding formulations, the water-retaining polymer can help maintain moisture around seeds deposited on the soil surface, supporting germination and early vegetation establishment.
The polymer is also used in landscaping, turf, lawns, and ornamental plant production.
Its water-retention properties can help reduce irrigation demand and maintain more consistent moisture in substrates used for grasses, flowers, ornamental plants, and landscape vegetation.
Potassium Polyacrylate can be useful in viticulture and fruit production.
Recent research has examined potassium polyacrylate superabsorbent polymers in vineyard soils, particularly for improving water availability and helping grapevines cope with drought conditions.
Another agricultural application involves fertilizer retention and controlled nutrient delivery.
The hydrated polymer network can interact with dissolved nutrients and influence their movement through the soil, creating opportunities to reduce rapid nutrient losses and maintain nutrients closer to plant roots.
Potassium Polyacrylate has therefore been investigated as a component of fertilizer-loaded hydrogel systems.
Potassium Polyacrylatek has demonstrated urea uptake by potassium polyacrylate hydrogels and investigated their ability to combine water retention with fertilizer retention and release.
This property creates potential for controlled-release agricultural formulations.
Instead of nutrients being immediately dissolved and transported away with irrigation water, hydrogel systems can provide a hydrated environment that modifies nutrient diffusion and release over time.
The material can also contribute to more efficient use of irrigation water and fertilizers simultaneously.
By retaining water and influencing nutrient transport in the root zone, potassium polyacrylate-based systems are being studied as tools for improving resource-use efficiency in crop production.
Another emerging area is the development of multifunctional agricultural hydrogels.
Potassium Polyacrylate is moving toward systems that combine potassium polyacrylate or related acrylate networks with nutrient delivery, water management, and other agricultural functions rather than using the polymer solely as a water-retaining additive.
Potassium Polyacrylate main commercial role of Potassium Polyacrylate is as an agricultural water-retention and soil-conditioning polymer.
Its applications extend from field crops and drought management to seed germination, nurseries, transplanting, horticulture, hydroseeding, protected cultivation, landscaping, and emerging fertilizer-delivery technologies.
Potassium Polyacrylate is also used in vegetable cultivation, where maintaining consistent moisture around the root system can be particularly important for crops grown under irregular irrigation.
Hydrogel incorporation into growing media has been investigated for crops such as tomato and cucumber, with the material serving as both a water reservoir and a means of reducing nutrient losses from the growing medium.
Potassium Polyacrylate another application is fruit tree cultivation.
Potassium Polyacrylate can be incorporated into the soil around fruit trees to increase water availability in the root zone, making it particularly relevant in orchards exposed to seasonal water shortages.
It is also used in tree planting and transplanting operations.
The polymer can be placed near the developing root system during transplantation to provide retained moisture while the plant establishes new roots in its surrounding soil.
Potassium Polyacrylate has applications in forestry and reforestation projects.
Superabsorbent polymers can be incorporated into planting sites to improve water availability for young trees, particularly where rainfall is irregular or irrigation infrastructure is limited.
Another use is potting-substrate modification.
Adding potassium polyacrylate-based hydrogel to growing substrates can increase their water-storage capacity and reduce rapid drying between irrigation cycles.
The material can also be used in urban landscaping and landscape establishment.
Hydrogel-containing soil amendments can help maintain moisture around newly planted vegetation, lawns, ornamental plants, and landscaped areas where frequent irrigation may otherwise be required.
Potassium Polyacrylate is relevant to lawn and turf management.
Its water-retention properties can help maintain moisture in turf-growing soils during periods of high evaporation or restricted irrigation, although performance depends strongly on soil characteristics and application rate.
It is also used for flower and ornamental plant cultivation.
The polymer can be incorporated into substrates or planting soils to provide a more stable moisture environment for flowers and other ornamental vegetation.
Another potential application is soil restoration and rehabilitation.
Superabsorbent polymer amendments can help improve water retention and moisture availability in degraded or drought-affected soils, supporting vegetation establishment during restoration programs.
Potassium Polyacrylate can also be incorporated into soil-water management systems designed for arid and semi-arid agriculture.
Its ability to repeatedly absorb and release water makes it suitable for strategies aimed at improving irrigation efficiency and maintaining moisture within the root zone.
Another emerging use involves soilless cultivation and hydroponic substrates.
Potassium acrylate hydrogels have been investigated as components of growing systems for crops such as tomato and cucumber, particularly because they can retain water and reduce fertilizer losses from the cultivation medium.
The polymer is also being investigated for agrochemical delivery.
Hydrogel networks can retain dissolved compounds and modify their movement through the growing medium, creating opportunities for controlled delivery of nutrients and plant-protection chemicals.
This includes research into controlled-release fertilizers.
Potassium polyacrylate-based systems can combine water retention with nutrient storage and gradual release, potentially helping maintain nutrient availability closer to plant roots.
A related application is fertilizer-use optimization.
Because the polymer can retain water and influence the movement of dissolved nutrients, it can be incorporated into agricultural strategies intended to reduce nutrient losses through leaching and improve fertilizer utilization.
Potassium Polyacrylate is also being explored in foliar moisture-retention formulations.
Recent research has used radiation-synthesized potassium polyacrylate as a polymer matrix together with urea and glucose to create a sprayable formulation designed to prolong moisture and nutrient availability on plant leaves.
This foliar application represents an emerging rather than established commercial use of Potassium Polyacrylate.
The approach demonstrates how the polymer can be adapted from a soil water-retention material into a multifunctional agricultural delivery system combining moisture preservation and nutrient supplementation.
Potassium Polyacrylate is also relevant to crop production under water-deficit conditions.
Studies of potassium polyacrylate-based superabsorbent polymers have examined their use with crops and trees under drought stress, where the retained water can help maintain plant establishment and nutrient uptake.
Potassium Polyacrylates uses extend beyond simply absorbing water.
Potassium Polyacrylate can serve as a soil amendment, root-zone water reservoir, growing-medium additive, transplanting aid, landscaping material, hydroponic substrate component, and platform for controlled nutrient or agrochemical delivery.
Safety Profile:
Potassium Polyacrylate is generally not classified as a hazardous substance under the GHS/CLP system in several current safety data sheets.
However, the absence of a formal hazard classification does not mean that normal laboratory and industrial precautions can be ignored.
The main occupational concern when handling the dry polymer is dust formation.
Fine Potassium Polyacrylate particles can become airborne during pouring, mixing, weighing, or mechanical handling, so unnecessary dust generation and inhalation should be avoided.
Inhalation of polymer dust can cause mechanical irritation of the respiratory tract.
People exposed to significant airborne dust should be moved to fresh air, while appropriate ventilation and respiratory protection should be used when dust cannot be adequately controlled.
Potassium Polyacrylate can also cause eye discomfort or irritation when dry particles come into contact with the eyes.
Safety glasses are therefore recommended during laboratory, manufacturing, and bulk-handling operations, particularly when powders are being transferred or mixed.
Skin contact is generally considered a relatively low-risk exposure route, but prolonged or repeated contact may cause irritation in some individuals.
Wearing suitable gloves and washing exposed skin with soap and water after handling can reduce unnecessary exposure.
The exact hazard profile can vary between different commercial grades and formulations.
Some SDS documents classify pure Potassium Polyacrylate as non-hazardous, while other product documentation recommends precautions for eye, skin, and respiratory irritation, partly reflecting differences in particle characteristics, impurities, or formulation.
Supply Of Potassium Polyacrylate:
For further information about Potassium Polyacrylate, including available product grades, technical specifications, application suitability and supply options, please contact Ataman Kimya.
