Amines and Chelates
Amines and Chelates
Versatility and Value
Making valuable products even better with amines and chelants
Amines and chelants are versatile materials that deliver a wide range of performance properties in many different applications and products.
Amines
Amines are multi-functional organic compounds derived from ammonia. Like ammonia, amines are weak bases, so they work well for neutralizing acidic components and buffering pH in a wide variety of products and processes. Additionally, amines can be reacted further to create derivatives with unique functionality for a broad range of uses. Known for their versatility, amines can help you achieve the desired performance in a wide range of applications, whether neutralizing acids, emulsifying properties, lubrication or viscosity are required.
Amines are used in a wide variety of applications and products:
- Personal care – helping balance pH in personal care products while still being gentle on the eyes – often used in baby and pet shampoos
- Coatings – providing pH adjustment while improving the solubility and dispersibility of other components in both water-based and solvent-based coating formulations; acting as hardeners for epoxy-based systems
- Cleaning products – enabling multi-functional cleaning products with low streaking and filming, as well as contributing to excellent stability for a longer shelf life
- Fabric softeners – offering excellent emulsifying and softening properties with low sensitivity for fabric softeners
- Multi-use emulsifier – providing excellent corrosion protection and emulsifying capabilities when added to asphalt chemicals and lube oil additives
- Pharmaceuticals – widely used as intermediates in the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients
- Many more uses – including gas treating, fuel additives, wet-strength resins, hydrocarbon purification, metalworking, cement and concrete grinding aids, herbicides and ore flotation
Chelants
Chelants, also referred to as chelating agents, are versatile materials made up of molecules capable of forming bonds to metal ions. Because of this capability, chelating agents are used to neutralize a variety of metal ions commonly found in water-based formulations and processes.
Chelating agents are often used in the following applications:
- Food and beverage – providing protection against naturally occurring metals that can cause spoilage and discoloration in both foods and beverages; resulting in improved flavor, color, texture, nutritional value, and product life
- Beauty and personal care – reducing sensitivity to hard water resulting in improved lather in soaps and shampoos, while increasing product life and improving the stability of fragrances, oils, fats, and water-soluble ingredients
- Cleaning products – decreasing the sensitivity to hard water improving foaming, cleaning, and rinsing along with increasing product shelf life
- Industrial applications – preventing and reducing scaling from water and steam used in manufacturing processes; extending equipment life in oil field operations, metal cleaning, metal working, water treatment, textiles, pulp and paper, geothermal systems and more
