Treatment of aqueous systems

Abstract

A method is described for preparing in-situ a substantially maleic acid copolymer for a treatment additive for aqueous systems, in which crystal habit modification properties are prioritized; for aqueously preparing a substantially poly-maleic additive through in-situ formation of maleic acid copolymer so that mono-carboxylic acids, non-ionic functional groups, and terminal hydroxyl groups are also formed during polymerization; and for applying such additives for treatment of aqueous systems. Treatment agents resulting from these processes are also described.

1 . A method of preparing in-situ a substantially maleic acid copolymer, comprising:
 polymerizing at least a portion of a plurality of maleic acid monomer components, wherein some of such maleic acid monomer components are transformed into monomeric repeating units within each of a plurality of polymer molecules,   increasing decarboxylation during said polymerizing,   forming in-situ a copolymer molecule comprising at least one decarboxylated portion of said copolymer molecule, increasing an average frequency of non-carboxylated monomeric repeating units in said polymer molecules to at least approximately 5 molar%.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said polymerizing comprises aqueously polymerizing. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein said increasing decarboxylation comprises adjusting one or more reaction parameters selected from the group of temperature, metal catalyst concentration, hydrogen peroxide concentration, and other reaction additives. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein said copolymer molecule further comprises at least one terminal hydroxyl group. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein said polymerizing further comprises co-polymerizing one or more co-monomers capable of reacting in a free-radical aqueous polymerizing system. 
     
     
         6 - 17 . (canceled)