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Application of Temperature-Responsive Polymers to Oil Sands Tailings Management

  • Author / Creator
    Osborn, Ian
  • A multi-purpose settling column was designed to determine settling rate and sediment height allowing the in-situ measurement of yield stress and drainage without disturbing the sediment particle network. The settling column was applied to studying flocculation/densification of model oil sands tailings. A cationic temperature sensitive copolymer, poly[N-isopropylacrylamide-co-N-[3-(Dimethylamino)propyl]methacrylamide], known as CP05, containing 95 mol% NIPAM and 5 mol% DMAPMA was synthesized in-house. CP05 possess attributes of both NIPAM and DMAPMA polymers. NIPAM creates a temperature responsive feature of the copolymer exhibiting a sharp conformation transition at specific conditions (LCST), while DMAPMA provides a pH dependent cationic charge. Cycling temperatures around the CP05 LCST increased the solids mass fraction and yield stress of the sediment of model tailings flocculated by the synthesized copolymer. Polymer charge density, solubility, elasticity and conformation of CP05 were modified through the change of suspension pH and temperature, which were used to optimize flocculation efficiency and sediment rheology.

  • Subjects / Keywords
  • Graduation date
    Spring 2015
  • Type of Item
    Thesis
  • Degree
    Master of Science
  • DOI
    https://doi.org/10.7939/R3T727Q2R
  • License
    This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.