What Is Dimethylethanolamine (DMEA)?
Dimethylethanolamine (DMEA), also known as N,N-Dimethylaminoethanol or 2-(Dimethylamino)ethanol, is a tertiary alkanolamine with the molecular formula C₄H₁₁NO and CAS number 108-01-0. Its structure places a dimethylamino group (–N(CH₃)₂) and a hydroxyl group (–OH) on the same short ethyl chain, making it one of the most reactive and soluble members of the alkanolamine family.
As a tertiary amine, DMEA does not react directly with CO₂ to form thermally stable carbamates - unlike primary amines (MEA) or secondary amines (DEA). This property makes it particularly valuable in gas treatment blends where low-energy regeneration is required. At the same time, its hydroxyl group provides the reactivity needed for esterification, quaternization, and polymer modification reactions.
DMEA is a clear, colorless to light yellow liquid at room temperature with a characteristic amine odor. Boiling point 133–135 °C, flash point 31 °C (closed cup). It is completely miscible with water, alcohols, ketones, esters, and aromatic hydrocarbons. SinoLook Chem supplies DMEA at ≥99.0% purity from ISO 9001-certified manufacturing facilities, with higher-purity grades (≥99.5%) available for pharmaceutical synthesis and electronic chemical applications.
Key Performance Advantages of DMEA
DMEA's combination of a tertiary amine nitrogen, a hydroxyl group, high volatility, and complete miscibility delivers six distinct performance advantages across industrial applications.
🎨 Neutralizing Agent for Waterborne Coatings
Reacts quickly and completely with acidic resin groups to produce stable water-dispersible amine salts. Fully volatile upon film drying - no residual amine remains in the cured coating, delivering superior water resistance, hardness, and long-term durability vs. non-volatile bases like KOH.
⚗️ Polyurethane (PU) Catalyst
Effective tertiary amine catalyst for flexible and rigid PU foam, coatings, sealants, and elastomers. Provides balanced catalytic activity for both gel and blow reactions. Lower odor profile vs. many conventional tertiary amine catalysts; compatible with standard polyol blends.
🔬 Reactive Chemical Intermediate
Participates in quaternization (cationic surfactants, fabric softeners, anti-static agents), esterification (functional esters for personal care and lubricants), alkylation (specialty amines), and ion-exchange resin production. Versatile building block for fine chemicals and pharma intermediates.
🏭 Gas Treatment & CO₂ Scrubbing
As a tertiary amine, DMEA does not form stable carbamates with CO₂, enabling lower regeneration energy vs. MEA/DEA systems. Blended with primary or secondary amines to optimize capacity and kinetics. Good thermal and oxidative stability under continuous process conditions.
💧 Water Treatment & Corrosion Inhibition
Effective pH conditioning agent, corrosion inhibitor component, and biocide stabilizer in cooling water, boiler water, and industrial process water formulations. Compatible with a wide range of corrosion inhibitor and scale inhibitor packages.
🌊 Exceptional Solubility Profile
Completely miscible with water, alcohols, ketones, esters, and aromatic hydrocarbons - making DMEA easy to incorporate into virtually any industrial formulation without compatibility issues. This broad solubility is a key advantage in multi-component formulation systems.
Dimethylethanolamine Industrial Applications
DMEA (CAS 108-01-0) serves as a critical ingredient and intermediate across seven major industrial sectors.
Coatings & Waterborne Paints
Neutralizing amine and pH stabilizer for waterborne acrylic, alkyd, PU, and epoxy coating systems. Improves dispersion stability, film formation, gloss, and flash rust resistance. Volatile upon film cure - no amine residue in the final coating, resulting in superior water resistance and hardness development.
Polyurethane (PU) Catalyst
Tertiary amine catalyst for flexible and rigid PU foam, PU coatings, sealants, and elastomers. Accelerates urethane bond formation and crosslinking. Commonly combined with DABCO or bis(dimethylaminoethyl)ether to fine-tune foam rise, cream time, and demold characteristics.
Ion-Exchange Resin Production
Functional intermediate for weak base anion exchange resins (styrene-DVB matrix). DMEA's tertiary amine groups absorb strong acid anions (Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻, NO₃⁻). Used in water demineralization, pharmaceutical purification, food & beverage processing, and hydrometallurgy.
Gas Treatment & CO₂/H₂S Removal
Component in blended amine solutions for natural gas sweetening, LNG purification, and industrial CO₂ capture. Lower regeneration energy as a tertiary amine. Used in proprietary blends alongside MEA, DEA, or DIPA to optimize capacity and selectivity.
Pharmaceutical Intermediates
Synthesis intermediate for APIs, quaternary ammonium compounds, and cGMP fine chemicals requiring a tertiary aminoalcohol structure. High-purity grade (≥99.5%) available with full regulatory documentation for pharmaceutical and electronic chemical applications.
Water Treatment Chemicals
pH conditioning agent, corrosion inhibitor component, and biocide stabilizer in cooling water, boiler water, and industrial process water treatment formulations. Compatible with standard corrosion inhibitor and scale inhibitor packages.
Surfactant & Specialty Chemical Synthesis
Building block for cationic surfactants, emulsifiers, flotation agents, fabric softeners, and anti-static agents via quaternization reactions. Also used in synthesis of choline derivatives and other specialty chemicals for personal care and agrochemical applications.
📌 DMEA in Waterborne Coatings - How It Works
When added to a waterborne resin dispersion, DMEA reacts with the carboxyl groups (–COOH) of the resin backbone to form amine salts, converting water-insoluble acid-form resins into stable, water-dispersible systems. This neutralization is critical for viscosity control, dispersion stability, and storage stability. A key advantage over non-volatile neutralizing bases (e.g. KOH) is that DMEA evaporates completely during film drying and curing - no amine residue remains, yielding superior water resistance, hardness development, and long-term coating durability. Used in waterborne acrylic dispersions, polyurethane dispersions (PUD), alkyd emulsions, waterborne epoxy systems, and two-component waterborne PU coatings.
Technical Specifications & CoA
High-purity DMEA produced by advanced synthesis under strict quality control. A full Certificate of Analysis (CoA), Safety Data Sheet (SDS), and Technical Data Sheet (TDS) are provided with every shipment. Grade ≥99.5% available on request for pharmaceutical and electronic chemical applications.
DMEA - Standard Quality Specification & Typical CoA Results
| Parameter | Specification | Typical CoA Result |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Clear, colorless to light yellow liquid | Clear colorless liquid |
| Assay (GC), wt% | ≥ 99.0% | 99.5 – 99.8% |
| Molecular Formula | C₄H₁₁NO | C₄H₁₁NO |
| Boiling Point | 133 – 135 °C | 134 °C |
| Density (20 °C), g/cm³ | 0.886 – 0.892 g/cm³ | 0.889 g/cm³ |
| Water Content, wt% | ≤ 0.2% | 0.08 – 0.12% |
| Color (APHA / Hazen) | ≤ 20 | ≤ 10 |
| Flash Point (closed cup) | ≥ 28 °C | 31 °C |
| pH (10% aq., 25 °C) | 11.0 – 12.0 | 11.5 |
| Refractive Index (20 °C) | 1.428 – 1.432 | 1.430 |
| Amine Value | 620 – 640 mg KOH/g | 631 mg KOH/g |
Safety, Handling & Regulatory Information
DMEA is a flammable liquid with a low flash point (31 °C) and should be treated as a Class 3 flammable liquid during storage and transport. It is also corrosive and requires appropriate PPE. Full GHS-compliant SDS available in English, German, French, Spanish, and Chinese. UN 2051 transport documentation provided.
| Safety Parameter | Value / Notes |
|---|---|
| GHS Classification | Flam. Liq. 2; Skin Corr. 1; Eye Dam. 1; Acute Tox. 4 (oral/inhalation); STOT SE 3 |
| GHS Signal Word | DANGER |
| UN Number / Packing Group | UN 2051 (Flammable liquid, n.o.s.) / PG II |
| Flash Point (closed cup) | 31 °C - handle as flammable liquid; keep away from ignition sources |
| Auto-ignition Temperature | ~250 °C |
| Vapor Pressure (20 °C) | ~10 hPa - use in well-ventilated area or with LEV |
| PPE Required | Chemical-resistant gloves (nitrile/butyl), safety goggles, face shield, chemical apron; local exhaust ventilation; antistatic equipment |
| Storage | Cool, well-ventilated, explosion-proof area; 5–30 °C; away from heat, sparks, open flames, strong acids, and oxidizers |
| Incompatibilities | Strong acids, strong oxidizers, acid chlorides, isocyanates, copper and copper alloys |
| REACH Status | Registered (CAS 108-01-0, EINECS 203-542-8) |
| Certifications | ISO 9001 · ISO 14001 · OHSAS 18001 · UN GHS · US DOT · IMDG compliant |
| SDS Languages | English, German, French, Spanish, Chinese |
| SDS / CoA / TDS Request | sales@sinolookchem.com - issued promptly upon order confirmation; available in advance for import compliance review |
B2B Supply Solutions & Pricing
SinoLook Chem exports DMEA to B2B clients in 50+ countries. Over 15 years of export experience with transparent, market-aligned pricing, volume discounts, and fixed-price contract options for long-term buyers.
| Order Volume | Packaging | Included Services |
|---|---|---|
| 50 – 500 kg (Trial Order) | 190 / 200 kg steel drums (UN-approved) | CoA, SDS, TDS; free sample option for qualified buyers |
| 500 – 5,000 kg (Regular Supply) | 200 kg drums / 1,000 kg IBC tanks | Volume discount; dedicated account manager; priority production scheduling |
| 5,000+ kg (Bulk / Long-Term) | IBC tanks / ISO tank / Flexitank / custom | Lowest per-unit price; fixed-price contract; 24/7 technical support |
📦 MOQ
50 kg for trial orders. Free samples: 500 g – 1 kg with full CoA & SDS for qualified buyers.
🚢 Delivery Terms
FOB, CIF, EXW available. Ex-Shanghai, Guangzhou, Qingdao, Tianjin. Dangerous goods (UN 2051) compliance handled.
⏱ Response Time
Customized quote within 12 hours. In-stock: 3–5 working days. Custom or bulk: 10–15 days.
💳 Payment Terms
T/T 30% advance, 70% vs B/L. L/C at sight for large orders. Fixed-price contracts for long-term supply.
- ✓ ISO 9001 · ISO 14001 · OHSAS 18001 certified - vertically integrated production with direct QC at every stage
- ✓ Full export documentation: commercial invoice, packing list, CoA, SDS, TDS, bill of lading, certificate of origin
- ✓ EU REACH, UN GHS, US DOT, and IMDG dangerous goods compliance documentation - available in advance
- ✓ Free 500 g – 1 kg samples with full CoA; ≥99.5% purity grade available for pharma and electronic applications
- ✓ Custom packaging: 25 kg, 50 kg, 200 kg steel drums (UN-approved); 1,000 kg IBC; ISO tank / Flexitank for bulk
- ✓ 24/7 technical support - coatings neutralization, PU formulation, resin optimization, gas treatment blending
Frequently Asked Questions
Common technical and commercial questions about Dimethylethanolamine from our B2B customers worldwide.
What is Dimethylethanolamine (DMEA) and what is it used for?
Dimethylethanolamine (DMEA, CAS 108-01-0) is a tertiary alkanolamine with formula C₄H₁₁NO, also known as N,N-Dimethylaminoethanol. Its primary industrial uses are: (1) neutralizing amine and pH stabilizer for waterborne coatings (acrylic, alkyd, PU, epoxy); (2) tertiary amine catalyst for polyurethane foam, coatings, and elastomers; (3) functional intermediate for ion-exchange resin production; (4) component in blended amine solutions for gas sweetening and CO₂ capture; (5) pharmaceutical and fine chemical intermediate; and (6) pH conditioner in water treatment formulations.
Why is DMEA preferred over KOH or AMP as a neutralizing amine in waterborne coatings?
Unlike non-volatile bases such as KOH, DMEA evaporates completely during the film drying and curing process, leaving behind no residual base in the final coating. This results in superior water resistance, harder film development, and better long-term durability. Compared to AMP (2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol), DMEA has a lower molecular weight and higher volatility, making it faster to evaporate and reducing amine odor in the dried film. However, DMEA's higher volatility also means it has a lower flash point (31 °C) and requires appropriate fire safety measures during storage and use.
How is DMEA used as a polyurethane catalyst?
In polyurethane foam production, DMEA acts as a tertiary amine catalyst that accelerates both the urethane-forming (gel) reaction between isocyanate and polyol and the blowing reaction between isocyanate and water. It provides moderate, balanced catalytic activity suitable for a wide range of flexible and semi-rigid foam formulations. DMEA is commonly used in combination with other tertiary amine catalysts such as DABCO (triethylenediamine) or bis(dimethylaminoethyl)ether to fine-tune foam rise speed, cream time, and demold characteristics for specific applications.
What is the difference between DMEA and TEA (triethanolamine) as neutralizing amines?
Both DMEA and TEA are tertiary amines used to neutralize waterborne coating resins, but they differ significantly in volatility and application profile. DMEA (bp 134 °C, MW 89) is highly volatile and evaporates readily during film formation, leaving an amine-free coating. TEA (bp 335 °C, MW 149) is essentially non-volatile and remains in the dried film. TEA is preferred when a permanent neutralizing agent is needed or when coalescence at low temperatures is important; DMEA is preferred when maximum water resistance and hardness development of the final film are required.
What purity grade does SinoLook Chem supply for DMEA?
SinoLook Chem supplies DMEA at ≥99.0% purity (GC assay), with typical batch results of 99.5–99.8%. Water content is ≤0.2% (typically 0.08–0.12%) and color is ≤20 APHA (typically ≤10). A higher-purity grade (≥99.5%) is available on request for pharmaceutical synthesis, cGMP applications, and electronic chemicals. A full Certificate of Analysis (CoA), Safety Data Sheet (SDS), and Technical Data Sheet (TDS) are issued with every shipment.
What are the storage and handling requirements for DMEA?
DMEA has a flash point of 31 °C and must be stored as a flammable liquid in a cool (5–30 °C), well-ventilated, explosion-proof area away from heat sources, sparks, and open flames. Keep away from strong acids, strong oxidizers, and acid chlorides. Use UN-approved steel drums or IBC containers; avoid copper and copper alloys. Wear chemical-resistant gloves (nitrile or butyl rubber), safety goggles, face shield, and chemical apron when handling. Local exhaust ventilation is recommended; use antistatic equipment to prevent electrostatic ignition.
What is the Dimethylethanolamine HS code?
Dimethylethanolamine (CAS 108-01-0) is classified under HS code 2922.19 (amino alcohols - other, other than those containing only oxygen-containing groups as heteroatoms, their ethers and esters; salts thereof). Always confirm the applicable tariff code with your local customs authority, as classifications may vary by jurisdiction.
How do I place an order or request a free sample?
Free 500 g – 1 kg samples with full CoA are available for qualified buyers. To order or request a sample:
- Step 1: Contact us by email, WhatsApp, or website with your requirements (quantity, purity, packaging, delivery terms, destination).
- Step 2: Receive a detailed, customized quote within 12 hours including price, lead time, and logistics options.
- Step 3: Request a free sample (500 g – 1 kg) with full CoA for quality validation in your specific application.
- Step 4: Confirm your order - our team handles production scheduling, packaging, documentation, and freight booking end-to-end.
- Step 5: Receive your shipment on time with full traceability documentation and post-delivery technical support.
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