An amphibious water-soluble copolymer, polyacrylamide/(alpha-N,N-dimethyl-N-acryloyloxyethyl) ammonium ethanate (PAAM/DAAE), was synthesized and used as a dispersion agent for BaTiO3 particles. PRAM/DAAE was prepared from acrylamide and (alpha-N,N-dimethyl-N-acryloyloxyethyl) ammonium ethanate under basic conditions through a free-radical polymerization. The structure of this copolymer was verified with IR and H-1-NMR spectra. The dispersing effects of PAAM/DAAE were examined through the measurement of the viscosity and sedimentation of BaTiO3 suspensions and the green density. The results indicated that this copolymer could uniformly disperse the particles, reduce the viscosity, stabilize the suspensions, and produce high-density green compacts. In comparison with a commercial dispersant, the ammonium salt of poly(methylacrylic acid), PAAM/DAAE was clearly more effective. (C) 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.