Aqueous polymerization of thermoresponsive flocculants

1. A method comprising:

forming a monomer solution by mixing formula

and a water soluble monomer in the presence of an aqueous solution;

adding an initiator to the monomer solution to form a thermoresponsive polymer, wherein:

R1 is independently selected from the group consisting of H and alkyl groups;

R2 and R3 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, olefinic, aromatics, heterocyclic, halogen, ammonium, nitroxides, nitrates, nitrite amides, amines, esters, ethers, carboxylic acids, acyl chlorides, alcohols, nitriles, phosphates, phosphonates, sulfates, sulfonates, sulfide, sulfite, thiol, and combinations thereof;

Y is selected from the group consisting of O, N and S;

X are methylene groups containing from about 0 to about 20 carbons, and

wherein the aqueous solution is an aqueous salt solution.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the water soluble monomer is selected from the group consisting of: monofunctional acrylic monomers, multifunctional acrylic monomers, monofunctional vinyl monomers, multifunctional vinyl monomers and combinations thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein monomer solution is heated to a temperature greater than 50° C.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein monomer solution is heated to a temperature greater than 85° C.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the initiator is an addition-type initiator.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the initiator is selected from the group consisting of: azo initiators, peroxide initiators, persulfate initiators and combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the peroxide initiator is selected from the group consisting of: persulfate salts, hydrogen peroxide, alkyl peroxide, alkyl peroxyesters, peroxydicarbonates, hydroperoxides and combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the azo initiator is selected from the group consisting of: 4,4′-azobis(4-cyanovaleric acid), 4,4′-azobis-(4-cyanopentanoic acid), 2,2′-azobis(2-methylpropionamidine)dihydrochloride, 2,2′-azobis[2-(2-imidazolin-2-yl)propane]dihydrochloride, 2,2′-azobis[N-(2-carboxyethyl)-2-methylpropionamidine] tetrahydrate, 2,2′-azobis[2-(2-imidazolin-2-yl)propane], 2,2′-azobis[2-methyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)propionamide], 2,2′-azobis-(2-amidinopropane)dihydrochloride, 2,2′-azobis(N,N′-dimethylene isobutyramidine) dihydrochloride, 2,2′-zobis(N,N′-dimethylene isobutyramidine), 2,2′-azobis-(isobutyramide)dehydrate, 2,2′-azobis-(N-ethylamidinopropane hydrochloride), 2,2′-azobis-(N,N′-dimethyleneamidinopropane hydrochloride), 2,2′-azobis(2-propane-2-carboxylic acid), 2,2′-azobis-(2-methyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl))propionamide, 2,2′-azobis-[2-methyl-N-(1,1-bis(hydroxymethyl)]propionamide, 2,2′-azobis-[2-methyl-N-(1,1-bis(hydroxymethyl)-2-hydroxyethyl)]propionamide and combinations thereof.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the initiator is azobis(2-methylpropionamidine) dihydrochloride.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the water soluble monomer is acrylamide.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixing of monomer solution occurs at an elevated temperature.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the elevated temperature is greater than 50° C.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the thermoresponsive polymer is water soluble.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the thermoresponsive polymer has an average molecular weight greater than 50,000.

15. A method comprising:

forming a monomer solution by mixing formula

and a water soluble monomer in the presence of an aqueous solution;

adding an initiator to the monomer solution to form a thermoresponsive polymer, wherein:

R1 is independently selected from the group consisting of H and alkyl groups;

R2 and R3 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, olefinic, aromatics, heterocyclic, halogen, ammonium, nitroxides, nitrates, nitrite amides, amines, esters, ethers, carboxylic acids, acyl chlorides, alcohols, nitriles, phosphates, phosphonates, sulfates, sulfonates, sulfide, sulfite, thiol, and combinations thereof;

Y is selected from the group consisting of O, N and S;

X are methylene groups containing from about 0 to about 20 carbons, and

wherein the aqueous solution is brackish water.

16. A method comprising:

forming a monomer solution by mixing formula

and a water soluble monomer in the presence of an aqueous solution;

adding an initiator to the monomer solution to form a thermoresponsive polymer, wherein:

R1 is independently selected from the group consisting of H and alkyl groups;

R2 and R3 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, olefinic, aromatics, heterocyclic, halogen, ammonium, nitroxides, nitrates, nitrite amides, amines, esters, ethers, carboxylic acids, acyl chlorides, alcohols, nitriles, phosphates, phosphonates, sulfates, sulfonates, sulfide, sulfite, thiol, and combinations thereof;

Y is selected from the group consisting of O, N and S;

X are methylene groups containing from about 0 to about 20 carbons, and

wherein the aqueous solution is saline water.

17. A method comprising:

forming a monomer solution by mixing formula

and a water soluble monomer in the presence of an aqueous solution;

adding an initiator to the monomer solution to form a thermoresponsive polymer, wherein:

R1 is independently selected from the group consisting of H and alkyl groups;

R2 and R3 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, olefinic, aromatics, heterocyclic, halogen, ammonium, nitroxides, nitrates, nitrite amides, amines, esters, ethers, carboxylic acids, acyl chlorides, alcohols, nitriles, phosphates, phosphonates, sulfates, sulfonates, sulfide, sulfite, thiol, and combinations thereof;

Y is selected from the group consisting of O, N and S;

X are methylene groups containing from about 0 to about 20 carbons, and

wherein the aqueous solution is brine water.