Polyacrylamide Market - Forecast from 2026 to 2031

Polyacrylamide Market is forecasted to rise at a 6.14% CAGR, reaching USD 6.836 billion in 2031 from USD 4.781 billion in 2025.

Polyacrylamide (PAM) encompasses a family of high-molecular-weight, water-soluble polymers and copolymers derived from acrylamide monomer, available in anionic, cationic, non-ionic, and amphoteric grades with molecular weights ranging from 5-30 million Dalton. Commercial forms include powders, emulsions (inverse emulsion), and aqueous solutions, with tailored charge density and chain architecture determining performance in flocculation, viscosification, drag reduction, and retention/drainage applications.

Demand remains tightly coupled to three core sectors. In enhanced oil recovery (EOR), high-MW partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) and associative copolymers are the standard mobility-control agents for chemical flooding, particularly in mature onshore and heavy-oil reservoirs. Rising polymer flooding activity-driven by sustained high oil prices and the need to arrest decline rates in conventional fields-continues to support robust consumption growth.

Wastewater treatment represents the largest and most resilient volume driver. Anionic and cationic PAMs serve as primary organic coagulants or coagulant aids in municipal and industrial sludge dewatering (belt press, centrifuge, screw press), DAF thickening, and tertiary phosphorus removal. Stringent effluent discharge limits for TSS, TP, and emerging contaminants, combined with capacity expansion in both greenfield and retrofit plants, ensure steady demand escalation.

Pulp & paper retention, drainage, and formation aids constitute a high-value niche where ultra-high-MW and structured cationic/anionic copolymers deliver measurable dry-line advancement and filler retention at low dose rates.

Asia Pacific has solidified its position as the dominant production and consumption region. China alone accounts for >50 % of global capacity and demand, underpinned by:

• Massive ongoing investment in chemical EOR (Daqing, Shengli, Liaohe, Xinjiang basins) and offshore polymer platforms.
• Aggressive build-out of municipal wastewater infrastructure under the 14th Five-Year Plan and "beautiful China" water-quality targets.
• Continued expansion of paper-making capacity despite structural decline in graphic grades, with new dissolving-pulp and packaging board lines requiring state-of-the-art retention systems.

The region benefits from vertically integrated acrylonitrile-acrylamide-PAM supply chains, competitive energy pricing, and proximity to both raw-material and end-use markets. New emulsion and powder plants commissioned since 2023 have further consolidated Asia Pacific cost leadership while improving grade consistency and delivery reliability.

Regulatory pressure continues to shape product specifications. FDA 21 CFR 173.5 and NSF/ANSI Standard 60 limit residual acrylamide monomer to <=0.05 %, while EU REACH and China GB/T 31214-2014 impose similar constraints. Drinking-water and food-contact grades therefore command premium pricing and require dedicated production trains with rigorous QA/QC protocols.

Competitive dynamics increasingly favor manufacturers capable of delivering application-specific molecular-weight distributions, shear-resistant associative polymers for high-salinity reservoirs, and temperature-stable cationic copolymers for industrial sludge with elevated organic content. Suppliers offering integrated technical service-rheology characterization, jar testing, pilot-scale validation, and on-site dosage optimization-are capturing disproportionate share in both EOR projects and large municipal tenders.

In conclusion, polyacrylamide remains a structurally indispensable specialty polymer across water-intensive and resource-recovery processes. With Asia Pacific consolidating its role as the global manufacturing and consumption center, and with no viable near-term substitutes at scale for high-MW flocculation and viscosification, the market is locked into sustained mid-single-digit growth driven by irreversible trends in oilfield maturation, urbanization, and environmental compliance.

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• Insightful Analysis: Gain detailed market insights covering major as well as emerging geographical regions, focusing on customer segments, government policies and socio-economic factors, consumer preferences, industry verticals, and other sub-segments.
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Report Coverage:

• Historical data from 2021 to 2025 & forecast data from 2026 to 2031
• Growth Opportunities, Challenges, Supply Chain Outlook, Regulatory Framework, and Trend Analysis
• Competitive Positioning, Strategies, and Market Share Analysis
• Revenue Growth and Forecast Assessment of segments and regions including countries
• Company Profiling (Strategies, Products, Financial Information), and Key Developments among others.

Market Segmentation:

• By Type
• Cationic
• Anionic
• Non-ionic
• By End-User Industry
• Paper
• Water Treatment
• Oil & Gas
• Others
• By Geography
• North America
• USA
• Canada
• Mexico
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Others
• Europe
• Germany
• France
• United Kingdom
• Spain
• Others
• Middle East and Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE
• Others
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• South Korea
• Indonesia
• Thailand
• Others