High-molecular flocculant, method for producing the flocculant and water-treatment method employing the flocculant

Abstract

A high-molecular flocculant rendered water-soluble by conversion of cyano groups contained in a high-molecular material, a method for producing the flocculant, and a method for efficiently processing water using the flocculant. A high-molecular material containing acrylonitrile as a monomer is processed safely to impart hydrophilicity to the material and the resulting product is used for water processing to contribute to environmental conservation. An amino compound is added to a cyano group containing high-molecular material to convert at least a portion of the cyano group (—C≡N) into a molecular structure portion having an imidamino structure and, if necessary, to convert at, least the portion into one of an acid salt, a quaternary ammonium salt or a hydrolyzate structure portion to give a high-molecular flocculant. Alternatively, a high-molecular material having cyano groups is hydrolysed to convert the cyano group into carbamoyl groups, carboxylic groups or their salts to give a high-molecular flocculant. This high-molecular flocculant is charged alone or in combination with commercial flocculants into the water for processing various.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A high-molecular flocculant having a molecular structure portion comprised of an organic and/or inorganic amino compound added to at least a portion of cyano groups contained in a high-molecular material.  
     
     
         2 . The high-molecular flocculant as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said inorganic amino compound is at least one of ammonia, hydrazine and hydroxylamine.  
     
     
         3 . The high-molecular flocculant as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said inorganic amino compound is at least one of a primary amine substituted by C1 to C12 hydrocarbon group and a secondary amine substituted by C1 to C12 hydrocarbon group.  
     
     
         4 . The high-molecular flocculant as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said inorganic amino compound i a polyamine having two or more amino groups.  
     
     
         5 . The high-molecular flocculant as claimed in  claim 4  wherein the molecular structure portion having the polyamine added thereto includes an imidazoline ring.  
     
     
         6 . The high-molecular flocculant claimed in  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of the molecular structure portion forms a salt with one of an inorganic acid; an organic acid, a halogenated hydrocarbon and a sulfuric acid ester.  
     
     
         7 . The high-molecular flocculant as claimed in  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of the molecular structure portion is further hydrolysed.  
     
     
         8 . The high-molecular flocculant as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said high-molecular material contains acrylonitrile as a monomer unit.  
     
     
         9 . The high-molecular flocculant as claimed in  claim 8  wherein said high-molecular material is at least one selected from the group of acrylic fibers, nitrite resin, styrene-acrylonitrile resin, acrylonitrile-butadiene- styrene resin, acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylic resin, acrylonitrile- chlorinated polyethylene- styrene resin, nitrite rubber and acrylonitrile- butadiene rubber.  
     
     
         10 . The high-molecular flocculant as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said high-molecular material contains not less than 15 mol % of the total monomer units.  
     
     
         11 . The high-molecular flocculant as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said high-molecular material is contained in a waste material used up for other purposes.  
     
     
         12 . A method for producing a high-molecular flocculant comprising: reacting a high-molecular material containing a cyano group with an inorganic and/or organic amino compound; and introducing a molecular structure portion having said amino compound added to at least a portion of the cyano group.  
     
     
         13 . The method for producing a high-molecular flocculant as claimed in  claim 12  wherein at least one selected from the group of ammonia, hydrazine and hydroxylamine is used as said amino compound.  
     
     
         14 . The method for producing a high-molecular flocculant as claimed in claim an organic amino compound is used as said amino compound and wherein an ring is formed as said molecular structure portion.  
     
     
         15 . The method for producing a high-molecular flocculant as claimed in  claim 12  wherein one of in inorganic acid, an organic acid and a halogenated hydrocarbon is acted on said molecular structure portion for converting at least a portion of the molecular structure portion into a salt.  
     
     
         16 . The high-molecular flocculant as claimed in  claim 12  wherein at least a portion of the molecular structure portion is further hydrolysed.  
     
     
         17 . The high-molecular flocculant as claimed in  claim 12  wherein a high-molecular material containing acrylonitrile as a monomer unit is used as the high-molecular material.  
     
     
         18 . The high-molecular flocculant as claimed in  claim 17  wherein at least one selected from the group of acrylic fibers, nitrite resin, styrene- acrylonitrile resin, acrylonitrile butadiene- styrene resin, acrylonitrile- styrene- acrylic resin, acrylonitrile-chlorinated polyethylene- styrene resin, nitrite rubber and acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber is used as said high-molecular material.  
     
     
         19 . The high-molecular flocculant as claimed in  claim 12  wherein a high-molecular material containing not less than 15 mol % of the total monomer units is used as said high-molecular material.  
     
     
         20 . The high-molecular flocculant as claimed in  claim 12  wherein a high-molecular material contained in a waste material used up for other purposes is used high molecular material.  
     
     
         21 . A method for water processing comprising: charging into water for a high-molecular flocculant having a molecular structure portion comprised of an inorganic and/or organic amine compound added to at least a portion of cyano groups contained in a high-molecular material.  
     
     
         22 . The method for water processing as claimed in  claim 21  wherein said high-molecular flocculant is used in conjunction with at least one of a nonionic high-molecular flocculant, an anionic high-molecular flocculant and a cationic high-molecular flocculant.  
     
     
         23 . The method for water processing as claimed in  claim 22  further comprising: sequentially charging said high-molecular flocculant and the anionic high-molecular flocculant into the water for processing.  
     
     
         24 . A high-molecular flocculant in which at least a portion of cyano groups contained in a high-molecular material has been converted into carbamoyl groups.  
     
     
         25 . The high-molecular flocculant as claimed in  claim 24  wherein a further portion of the carbamoyl groups is converted into carboxyl groups or salts thereof.  
     
     
         26 . The high-molecular flocculant as claimed in  claim 24  wherein said high-molecular material contains acrylonitrile as a monomer unit.  
     
     
         27 . The high-molecular flocculant as claimed in  claim 26  wherein said high-molecular material is at least one selected from the group of acrylic fibers, nitrite resin, styrene- acrylonitrile resin, acrylonitrile- butadiene- styrene resin, acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylic resin, acrylonitrile- chlorinated polyethylene- styrene resin, nitrite rubber and acrylonitrile- butadiene rubber.  
     
     
         28 . The high-molecular flocculant as claimed in  claim 24  wherein said high-molecular material contains not less than 15 mol % of the total monomer units.  
     
     
         29 . The high-molecular flocculant as claimed in  claim 24  wherein said high-molecular material is contained in a waste material used up for other purposes.  
     
     
         30 . A method for producing a high-molecular flocculant comprising: hydrolysing a high-molecular material containing cyano groups to convert at least a portion of the cyano groups into carbamoyl groups.  
     
     
         31 . The method for producing a high-molecular flocculant as claimed in  claim 30  wherein said hydrolysis is carried out in one step in the presence of an acidic catalyst.  
     
     
         32 . The method for producing a high-molecular flocculant as claimed in  claim 30  wherein said hydrolysis is carried out in two steps, namely a first step employing an acidic catalyst and a second step of employing a basic catalyst, and wherein, in said second step, a further portion of the carbamoyl groups is converted into carboxylic groups or salts thereof.  
     
     
         33 . The high-molecular flocculant as claimed in  claim 30  wherein a high-molecular material containing acrylonitrile as a monomer unit is used as the high-molecular material.  
     
     
         34 . The high-molecular flocculant as claimed in  claim 33  wherein at least one selected from the group of acrylic fibers, nitrite resin, styrene- acrylonitrile resin, acrylonitrile, butadiene- styrene resin, acrylonitrile- styrene- acrylic resin, acrylonitrile-chlorinated polyethylene- styrene resin, nitrite rubber and acrylonitrile butadiene rubber is used as said high-molecular material.  
     
     
         35 . The high-molecular flocculant as claimed in  claim 30  wherein a high-molecular material containing not less than 15 mol % of the total monomer units is used as said high-molecular material.  
     
     
         36 . A method for processing water comprising: charging into water for processing a high-molecular flocculant comprised of a high-molecular material at least a portion of cyano groups of which has been converted into carbamoyl groups.  
     
     
         37 . The method for water processing as claimed in  claim 36  wherein said high-molecular flocculant is used in conjunction with at least one of a nonionic high-molecular flocculant, an anionic high-molecular flocculant and a cationic high-molecular flocculant.  
     
     
         38 . The method for water processing as claimed in  claim 37  further comprising: sequentially charging said high-molecular flocculant and the anionic high-molecular flocculant into the water for processing.  
     
     
         39 . The method for water processing as claimed in  claim 36  further comprising: charging into the water for processing the high-molecular flocculant a further portion of carbamoyl groups of which have been converted into carboxylic groups or salts thereof.