It has been found that all polymers lose calcium carbonate inhibition performance to varying
degrees when exposed to thermal treatment (150 to 240 ºC for 20 hr). Among the homopolymers
evaluated, P-MA lost more performance than P-AA. In the case of AA and SA coand
ter-polymers, the calcium carbonate inhibition performance improved after heat treatment.
The results have been explained in terms of loss of SA and NI in the co- and ter-polymers, as
determined by Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)
methods, leading to the formation of P-AA.