Diethylenetriamine (DETA)

Diethylenetriamine (DETA) is a colorless to pale yellow, hygroscopic liquid with an ammonia-like odor, carrying two primary and one secondary amine group. It is fully miscible with water and strongly alkaline.

It boils at about 207 °C and has a density of about 0.95 g/cm³. In the ethyleneamines family it sits between ethylenediamine (EDA) and triethylenetetramine (TETA).

•With five active amine hydrogens it cures epoxy resins quickly at room temperature with high crosslink density, giving hard, chemical-resistant coatings, floors and adhesives.

•Reacted with fatty acids it forms amidoamines and imidazolines, the basis of textile softeners, asphalt emulsifiers and oilfield corrosion inhibitors.

•Converted with epichlorohydrin into polyamide-epichlorohydrin (PAE) resins, it gives tissue, towel and packaging papers their strength when wet.

✓In a standard liquid bisphenol-A epoxy (EEW ≈ 190), typical use is about 11 parts of DETA per 100 parts of resin (amine hydrogen equivalent weight ≈ 20.6).

✓Curing is exothermic and pot life is short; for large castings, mix in small batches.

✓It is corrosive and can cause skin sensitization; handle with gloves and eye protection and store in closed containers away from moisture.