A series of hydrophobically associating fluorinated amphiphilic polyacrylamide copolymers with remarkably high heat resistance and salt tolerance were synthesized by free radical micellar copolymerization, using acrylamide (AM) and sodium 2-acrylamido-tetradecane sulfonate (AMC14S) as amphiphilic monomers, and 2-(perfluorooctyl) ethyl acrylate (PFHEA) as hydrophobic monomer. The structure of the terpolymer was characterized by FTIR, 1H NMR and 19F NMR. The solution properties of the terpolymers were investigated in details, and the results showed that the terpolymer solution had strong intermolecular hydrophobic association as the concentration exceeded the critical association concentration 1.5 g/L. The terpolymer solution possessed high surface activity, viscoelasticity, excellent heat resistance, salt tolerance and shearing resistance. The viscosity retention rate of copolymer solution was as high as 59.9% under the condition of fresh wastewater, 85 oC and a 60-days aging test.

Keywords: fluorinated amphiphilic polyacrylamide; hydrophobically association; micellar copolymerization; water-soluble polymer; surface tension