Diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy was used to investigate the structural nature of polyacrylates adsorbed on alumina from aqueous solution. The presence of sodium bicarbonate or sodium ions on the alumina surface could inhibit the carboxylate groups on the polymer chains from forming covalent bonds with aluminium ions on the surface. More carboxylate groups of the chains were adsorbed on surface sites at lower polymer concentration and higher pH. Also, an increased loop formation of the polyacrylate chains occurred with a decrease in treatment of pH and an increase in polymer concentration. When the pH changed from higher to lower values in steps, the adsorbed polymer did not increase as much from the stretched-out form to the coiled form as was noted if one initially only treated the aqueous polyacrylate/alumina slurry at the lower pH. The adsorption of water on the polyacrylate-treated surface changed the ratio between covalently and ionically bonded carboxylate groups, causing more ionically bonded species.