Triethanolamine is a colorless, transparent and viscous liquid at room temperature, with a slight ammonia smell. It is hygroscopic and can absorb moisture and carbon dioxide in the air. Triethanolamine has a wide range of uses, but you must also pay attention to its chemical properties and stability.
The chemical properties and stability of triethanolamine are as follows:
When triethanolamine encounters high heat, open flame or contact with oxidants, there is a danger of burning. Its aqueous solution is corrosive.
Triethanolamine is almost insoluble in non-polar solvents. At 25°C, it dissolves in benzene at 4.2% (mass fraction), in carbon tetrachloride at 0.4% (mass fraction), and in heptane. (0.1%) or less, it has strong hygroscopicity and becomes darker when exposed to air. React with inorganic salts or organic acids to produce esters. It can absorb acidic gases such as carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. Pure triethanolamine has no effect on steel, iron and other materials, but is highly corrosive to copper, aluminum and their alloys. Unlike monoethanol diethanolamine, triethanolamine and hydrogen iodide can form hydrogen iodide precipitation.
Triethanolamine is less basic than ammonia (pKa7.82) and has the properties of tertiary amines and alcohols. It reacts with organic acids to produce salts at low temperatures and esters at high temperatures. It can produce chelates with 2 to 4 ligands with various metals. Amine oxides are produced during oxidation with hypochlorous acid. Oxidative decomposition with periodic acid into ammonia and formaldehyde. The action of sulfuric acid produces morpholin instead of ethanol. Triethanolamine can absorb acid gas at low temperatures and release it at high temperatures.