Abstract
Water-soluble nonionic polymers occupy a special place among synthetic polymeric materials. Most of them possess a number of unique properties allowing various industrial and medicinal applications. Such important industrial branches as coal mining, oil recovery, production of textiles, paper, lacquers, adhesives, cosmetics, and medicinal preparations cannot be conceived without these polymers. For instance, poly(acrylamide) and poly-(oxyethylene) can decrease pressure losses, increase considerably the drilling time, reduce the time of flooding underground spaces, and increase the speed of ship movement and pumping of liquids. Very important is the role of water-soluble nonionic polymers in the textile industry where they have successfully replaced expensive natural materials in the processes of cloth sizing and finishing and are used in the production of new kinds of fabrics possessing high mechanochemical characteristics. The use of these polymers is also important in medicine due to their good compatibility with water, high tendency to complex, and lack of toxicity.