Synthesis of sodium polyacrylate copolymers as water-based dispersants for ultrafine grinding of praseodymium zirconium silicate

•A water-based copolymer dispersant was synthesized and applied to effective ultrafine grinding of praseodymium zirconium silicate particles.•In ultra-fine grinding, addition of the PSIA1 dispersants results in the finer particles with steeper particle size distribution.•The PSIA1 dispersants adsorbed on particle surface had an effect on grinding performance due to the electrostatic repulsion/steric hindrance.