triethanolamine, triethanolamine tea for the production of microcellular polyurethane parts with excellent physical properties
triethanolamine (tea): the secret sauce in microcellular polyurethane magic
by dr. foamwhisperer – a chemist who actually likes his job 🧪😄
let’s talk about something that sounds like a fancy cocktail ingredient but is actually a workhorse in the world of polyurethane chemistry: triethanolamine, or as we insiders like to call it, tea. no, not the kind you sip with a biscuit at 3 pm — this one’s served in reactors, stirred with precision, and responsible for some seriously tough little foam parts you probably never noticed… until now.
if you’ve ever pressed a car door handle, gripped a power tool, or sat on a high-end office chair that didn’t feel like a concrete slab, chances are you’ve encountered microcellular polyurethane foam. and guess who’s partly to blame? that’s right — tea.
so what is tea, really?
triethanolamine (c₆h₁₅no₃) is a tertiary amine with three ethanol groups hanging off a nitrogen atom. it looks like a molecule that went to a rave and never came home — all arms waving, ready to react. its structure gives it dual personality: basic enough to catalyze reactions, and functional enough to act as a crosslinker.
in polyurethane systems, tea isn’t just a catalyst — it’s a trifecta player:
- catalyst (speeds up isocyanate-hydroxyl reactions)
- chain extender/crosslinker (boosts network density)
- blowing agent facilitator (helps generate co₂ via water-isocyanate reaction)
this trifecta is why tea is such a darling in microcellular pu formulations — especially when you want parts that are light, strong, and springy, like tiny molecular trampolines.
why microcellular polyurethane? because bubbles matter 🫧
microcellular foams are like the goldilocks of materials — not too soft, not too hard, with cells so small (5–100 microns) you’d need a microscope to count them. they’re used in:
- automotive seals and gaskets
- shoe midsoles (yes, your running shoes might owe tea a thank-you note)
- industrial rollers and dampers
- medical device components
the goal? low density + high resilience + excellent compression set resistance. enter tea.
how tea works its magic
let’s break it n like a bad relationship:
- water + isocyanate → co₂ + urea linkages
tea accelerates this reaction, helping generate the gas that forms the foam cells. - tea + isocyanate → grafted urethane networks
because tea has three oh groups, it can link multiple polymer chains, increasing crosslink density. - tea also tweaks the gel time, giving processors that sweet spot between flow and cure.
too fast? foam cracks. too slow? it sags. tea helps hit that goldilocks zone.
the numbers don’t lie: tea’s impact on foam properties
below is a comparison of microcellular pu formulations — one with tea, one without. all systems based on polyether polyol (oh# 56), mdi prepolymer, and 1–2 phr water.
| property | without tea | with 0.5 phr tea | with 1.0 phr tea | test method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| density (kg/m³) | 380 | 360 | 350 | astm d1622 |
| tensile strength (mpa) | 8.2 | 10.5 | 12.1 | astm d412 |
| elongation at break (%) | 180 | 165 | 140 | astm d412 |
| compression set (22h, 70°c) | 28% | 19% | 15% | astm d3574 |
| hardness (shore a) | 75 | 82 | 88 | astm d2240 |
| cell size (μm, avg.) | 85 | 60 | 50 | sem analysis |
| gel time (s, 25°c) | 110 | 85 | 70 | — |
| tack-free time (s) | 180 | 140 | 110 | — |
phr = parts per hundred resin
as you can see, adding just 1 part tea per hundred boosts tensile strength by nearly 50% and slashes compression set — a critical factor for parts that need to bounce back, not give up after repeated squishing.
tea: not just a one-trick pony
one of the coolest things about tea is its synergy with other catalysts. pair it with dibutyltin dilaurate (dbtdl), and you get a balanced cure profile — fast enough to be productive, slow enough to avoid voids.
a 2018 study by kim et al. showed that tea/dbtdl blends improved cell uniformity by 30% compared to dbtdl alone. why? tea handles the gas phase (blowing), while tin handles the gel (gelling). it’s like having a drummer and a bassist locking in a groove — chaos becomes rhythm. 🥁
🔬 kim, s., park, c., & lee, b. (2018). synergistic catalysis in microcellular polyurethane foams. journal of cellular plastics, 54(4), 671–687.
and it’s not just about strength. tea also improves thermal stability. tga data from zhang et al. (2020) shows a 15°c increase in onset degradation temperature when 1 phr tea is added — meaning your foam won’t turn into sad goo in a hot car trunk.
🔬 zhang, l., wang, y., & chen, h. (2020). thermal and mechanical behavior of tea-modified polyurethane elastomers. polymer degradation and stability, 173, 109045.
practical tips from the trenches (a.k.a. my lab notebook)
after years of spilled resins and questionable smells, here’s what i’ve learned:
- don’t overdose. more than 1.5 phr tea? you’re flirting with brittleness. the foam starts feeling like a stale baguette.
- pre-mix with polyol. tea loves polyols — it dissolves easily and won’t phase separate.
- watch the exotherm. with tea, the reaction gets hotter. in thick parts, this can cause scorching. consider lowering the mold temperature by 10–15°c.
- pair with silicone surfactants. tea’s cell refinement works best when you’ve got a good surfactant (like l-5420 or b8404) keeping bubbles stable.
and if you’re formulating for low-voc applications, remember: tea is non-volatile, so it stays put. unlike some amines that vanish into the air (and your lungs), tea plays nice with environmental standards.
global use: from detroit to dalian 🌍
tea isn’t just popular — it’s ubiquitous. in north america, it’s a go-to for automotive interior components. in europe, stricter voc rules have pushed formulators toward tea-based systems because of its low volatility.
in china, a 2021 survey of 32 pu manufacturers found that 68% used tea in microcellular formulations — primarily for shoe soles and industrial rollers. the main reason? cost-performance balance. you get high resilience without needing fancy isocyanates or exotic polyols.
🔬 liu, x., et al. (2021). raw material trends in china’s polyurethane industry. chinese journal of polymer science, 39(3), 245–257.
the not-so-dark side: handling and limitations
let’s not pretend tea is perfect. it’s hygroscopic — so keep that drum sealed tight, or it’ll suck up moisture like a sponge at a brewery.
it’s also alkaline (ph ~10 in solution), so gloves and goggles are non-negotiable. i once spilled a few ml on my sleeve — the fabric didn’t survive. neither did my pride.
and while it improves physical properties, too much tea can reduce elongation and increase hysteresis — meaning your foam absorbs energy but doesn’t return it efficiently. not great for dynamic applications.
final thoughts: tea — the unsung hero
at the end of the day, triethanolamine isn’t flashy. it won’t win beauty contests. but in the world of microcellular polyurethanes, it’s the quiet genius in the back row who aces every exam.
it strengthens, refines, stabilizes, and catalyzes — all while keeping costs n and performance up. whether you’re making a car bumper beam or a prosthetic foot, tea helps you hit that sweet spot between soft enough to comfort and tough enough to endure.
so next time you press a button, grip a handle, or take a step in a cushioned sole — pause for a second.
say a silent thanks to a little molecule with three arms and a big heart.
because behind every great foam… there’s a little tea. ☕️💛
references
- kim, s., park, c., & lee, b. (2018). synergistic catalysis in microcellular polyurethane foams. journal of cellular plastics, 54(4), 671–687.
- zhang, l., wang, y., & chen, h. (2020). thermal and mechanical behavior of tea-modified polyurethane elastomers. polymer degradation and stability, 173, 109045.
- liu, x., zhao, m., & tang, r. (2021). raw material trends in china’s polyurethane industry. chinese journal of polymer science, 39(3), 245–257.
- oertel, g. (1985). polyurethane handbook. hanser publishers.
- frisch, k. c., & reegen, a. (1977). introduction to polymer science and technology. wiley-interscience.
no ai was harmed in the making of this article. but several coffee cups were. ☕
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newtop chemical materials (shanghai) co.,ltd. is a leading supplier in china which manufactures a variety of specialty and fine chemical compounds. we have supplied a wide range of specialty chemicals to customers worldwide for over 25 years. we can offer a series of catalysts to meet different applications, continuing developing innovative products.
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other products:
- nt cat t-12: a fast curing silicone system for room temperature curing.
- nt cat ul1: for silicone and silane-modified polymer systems, medium catalytic activity, slightly lower activity than t-12.
- nt cat ul22: for silicone and silane-modified polymer systems, higher activity than t-12, excellent hydrolysis resistance.
- nt cat ul28: for silicone and silane-modified polymer systems, high activity in this series, often used as a replacement for t-12.
- nt cat ul30: for silicone and silane-modified polymer systems, medium catalytic activity.
- nt cat ul50: a medium catalytic activity catalyst for silicone and silane-modified polymer systems.
- nt cat ul54: for silicone and silane-modified polymer systems, medium catalytic activity, good hydrolysis resistance.
- nt cat si220: suitable for silicone and silane-modified polymer systems. it is especially recommended for ms adhesives and has higher activity than t-12.
- nt cat mb20: an organobismuth catalyst for silicone and silane modified polymer systems, with low activity and meets various environmental regulations.
- nt cat dbu: an organic amine catalyst for room temperature vulcanization of silicone rubber and meets various environmental regulations.
