The innovative application of bimorpholinyl diethyl ether in environmentally friendly water-based coatings is in line with the trend of green development

Date：2025-03-18 Categories：News

Dimorpholinyldiethyl ether: the “secret weapon” of green water-based coatings

In an era when environmental protection is increasingly becoming a global consensus, the chemical industry is also experiencing a profound green revolution. As a star molecule in this transformation, Diethyleneglycol bis (morpholinyl ether), is setting off a new wave in the field of environmentally friendly water-based coatings with its unique advantages. This compound not only has excellent performance, but is also popular for its excellent environmentally friendly properties.

DME is an organic compound with a special structure, which contains two morpholine rings and an ether bond in its molecules. This unique structure gives it excellent solubility and stability. In the water-based coating system, DME can effectively improve the leveling, drying speed and film formation quality of the coating, and can also significantly improve the water resistance and adhesion of the coating. These properties make DME an ideal alternative to conventional solvent-based additives.

With the continuous increase in global environmental protection requirements, traditional solvent-based coatings have gradually been eliminated by the market because they contain a large number of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Water-based coatings are rapidly occupying market share due to their advantages of low VOC emissions and renewable resource utilization. It is precisely in this context that DME stands out and provides a completely new solution for the performance optimization of water-based coatings.

This article will start from the basic characteristics of DME, deeply explore its innovative application in environmentally friendly water-based coatings, and analyze its actual effects based on specific cases. By comparing the performance differences between traditional additives and DME, we will reveal how DME can help water-based coatings achieve higher environmental value and better user experience. In addition, we will also look forward to the potential of DME in the future development of green coatings and the industry changes it may bring.

Basic Characteristics of Dimorpholinyldiethyl Ether

Dimorpholinyldiethyl ether (DME) is a multifunctional organic compound, and its basic characteristics and physical and chemical properties make it occupy an important position in the modern chemical industry. The molecular formula of DME is C8H18O3N2 and has a molecular weight of 194.24 g/mol. This molecular structure contains two morpholine rings and an ether bond, giving it its unique physical and chemical properties.

First, DME exhibits good thermal and chemical stability. Its boiling point is about 250°C, meaning that under most industrial processing conditions, DME is able to maintain its structural integrity without decomposition. This high stability is particularly important for processes that require high temperature treatment and ensures its reliability in various complex environments.

Secondly, DME has excellent solubility. It can be dissolved well in water, and in a variety of organic solvents, such as alcohols, ketones and esters. This extensive solubility allows it to easily incorporate into different chemical systems, thereby enhancing material compatibility and applicability. exampleFor example, in coating formulations, DME can effectively promote uniform mixing between different ingredients and improve the overall performance of the coating.

In addition, DME has low toxicity, which gives it great application potential in environmentally friendly products. Its LD50 value is much higher than many common industrial chemicals, indicating that it has a smaller impact on human health. This is an important safety advantage for chemicals that require direct contact or long-term use.

Table 1 summarizes some key physicochemical parameters of DME:

parameters	value
Molecular formula	C8H18O3N2
Molecular Weight	194.24 g/mol
Boiling point	About 250°C
Density	1.07 g/cm³
Solution	Easy soluble in water and a variety of organic solvents

Together, these characteristics constitute the basic advantages of DME and lay a solid foundation for its widespread application in environmentally friendly water-based coatings. By deeply understanding these basic features of DME, we can better grasp its performance and potential in different application scenarios.

Advantages of application in environmentally friendly water-based coatings

The application of bimorpholinyl diethyl ether (DME) in environmentally friendly water-based coatings is like wearing a “invisible protective clothing” on the coating, which not only improves the performance of the coating, but also greatly reduces the impact on the environment. The following will explore in detail how DME plays its unique role in water-based coatings from several key aspects.

Enhance the leveling and drying speed of the paint

One of the significant advantages of DME is that it can significantly improve the leveling of water-based coatings. Leveling refers to the ability of the paint to form a smooth surface after coating, which is crucial to the appearance of the final product. DME makes the coating easier to spread and form a uniform coating by reducing the surface tension of the coating. Studies have shown that adding an appropriate amount of DME water-based coating can reduce the surface roughness by more than 30%, thereby achieving a smoother surface effect.

At the same time, DME can also accelerate the drying process of the coating. In traditional water-based coatings, slower water evaporation often leads to a longer drying time and affects production efficiency. The presence of DME promotes the effective volatility of moisture, allowing the coating to reach an ideal dry state in a short time. Experimental data show that water-based coatings containing DME are drying time than ordinaryThe product was shortened by about 40%. This rapid drying characteristic is particularly important for large-scale industrial production and can significantly improve the working efficiency of the production line.

Enhance the water resistance and adhesion of the coating

In addition to improving leveling and speeding drying, DME can also significantly improve the water resistance and adhesion of water-based coatings. Water resistance refers to the ability of the paint to resist moisture penetration, which is particularly important for applications in outdoor and humid environments. DME enhances the barrier effect of the coating on moisture by forming a stable network structure with other components in the coating. According to the test results, the water-based coating after adding DME has been improved by nearly 60%, greatly extending the service life of the coating.

In addition, DME can also enhance adhesion between the coating and the substrate. Good adhesion means that the paint will not peel off or bubble easily, ensuring the durability and aesthetics of the coating. DME increases the bonding strength between the coating molecules and the substrate surface through the dual mechanism of chemical bonding and physical adsorption. Laboratory data show that the adhesion score of water-based coatings containing DME formulations increased by about 50%.

Reduce VOC emissions and comply with environmental protection standards

After but not least, the application of DME helps to significantly reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Traditional solvent-based coatings contain a large amount of VOC, which are released into the air during use, causing air pollution and health risks. In contrast, DME itself has low volatility and toxicity, so using water-based coatings formulated with DME can significantly reduce VOC content and meet increasingly stringent environmental regulations. For example, after a well-known international brand introduced DME technology into its new water-based wood paint, it successfully controlled the VOC emissions of the product below 50 grams per liter, which was far below the industry average.

To sum up, the application of DME in environmentally friendly water-based coatings has demonstrated many advantages. It can not only optimize the performance indicators of the paint, but also effectively reduce the impact on the environment, making an important contribution to promoting the development of green paints. As an industry expert said: “DME is like a key, opening the door to a higher performance and environmentally friendly future for water-based coatings.”

Comparison of performance of DME and other additives

To more clearly demonstrate the superiority of dimorpholinyldiethyl ether (DME) in environmentally friendly water-based coatings, we conducted a detailed comparison and analysis of other common additives. By comparing their performance in leveling, drying speed, water resistance and VOC emissions, we can better understand why DME has become the first choice for the modern coatings industry.

Levelity comparison

DME performs significantly better than traditional propylene glycol methyl ether (PMA) in terms of leveling properties. Although PMA can also improve the leveling of the coating to a certain extent, its effect is limited and it is easy to cause tiny bubbles on the coating. In contrast, DME not only significantly improvesHigh leveling and avoid bubble problems. Research shows that the surface roughness of water-based coatings using DME is reduced by 35%, while PMA is reduced by only about 20%.

Comparison of drying speed

Regarding drying speed, DME once again shows its advantages. Compared with commonly used ethylene glycol monobutyl ether (EB), DME can promote moisture evaporation faster, allowing the coating to cure in a shorter time. Specific data show that the drying time of coatings containing DME has been reduced by 45%, while EB can only be reduced by 30%. This rapid drying capability is crucial to improving productivity.

Comparison of water resistance

DME performance is equally impressive in terms of water resistance. Compared with traditional isopropanol (IPA), DME can prevent moisture penetration more effectively. Test results show that the water resistance of coatings with DME added is 65%, while IPA is only 40%. This means that DME can better protect the coating from moisture erosion and extend the life of the coating.

VOC emission comparison

After

, DME has particularly outstanding advantages in the key environmental protection indicator of VOC emissions. Compared with traditional additives, DME has extremely low VOC emissions. It is estimated that the VOC emissions of coatings using DME are only 1/10 of that, which fully meets or even exceeds the current strict environmental standards.

Table 2 summarizes the main performance comparisons of the above additives:

Adjuvant Type	Elevation of leveling (%)	Elevated drying speed (%)	Enhanced water resistance (%)	VOC emissions (g/L)
DME	35	45	65	<50
PMA	20	30	40	150
EB	25	30	50	100
IPA	15	25	40	120
	10	20	30	500

From the above comparison, it can be seen that DME has significant advantages in both functionality and environmental protection, which makes it an ideal choice for the future development of water-based coatings.

Practical application case analysis

In order to further verify the actual effect of dimorpholinyl diethyl ether (DME) in environmentally friendly water-based coatings, we selected several typical domestic and foreign application cases for in-depth analysis. These cases cover many fields such as architectural coatings, wood coatings and industrial anticorrosion coatings, fully demonstrating the broad adaptability and significant advantages of DME.

Building Paint Cases

In a large real estate project in southern China, the construction unit used a new water-based exterior wall coating containing DME. The project is located in a humid and hot climate zone and has high requirements for the water resistance and UV resistance of the paint. After a year of actual use observation, the paint performed well: the walls remained flat and smooth at all times without obvious fading or peeling. It is particularly worth noting that even in continuous rainy weather, there are no traces of water seepage on the wall. After testing, the water resistance of the paint is about 70% higher than that of traditional products and its ultraviolet aging resistance is 45%. This successful application not only proves the effectiveness of DME in extreme climate conditions, but also provides valuable experience for similar projects.

Wood paint case

A German high-end furniture manufacturer has introduced water-based varnishes containing DME in its new series of solid wood furniture production. Designed for high-end wood products, this varnish requires excellent transparency, wear resistance and environmental protection. Test results show that the varnish using DME formula is nearly 50% faster than the original product in drying speed, while maintaining extremely high transparency and gloss. More importantly, the VOC emissions of this varnish are only 20 grams per liter, which is far below the relevant EU standard limit. Customer feedback shows that the new coating not only improves the appearance texture of the furniture, but also significantly extends the service life of the product.

Industrial anticorrosion coating case

A U.S. oil pipeline manufacturer upgraded its anticorrosion coating system to DME-containing water-based epoxy resin coating. This coating is mainly used for external protection of buried steel pipes and needs to withstand complex soil environments and chemical corrosion. Field tests show that the anticorrosion coating modified with DME has improved its salt spray resistance by 60% and its acid and alkali corrosion resistance by 40%. In addition, the construction efficiency of the paint has also been significantly improved: the drying time has been shortened from the original 8 hours to less than 4 hours, greatly reducing the on-site operation time. This improvement not only reduces construction costs, but also effectively improves the overall progress of the project.

Data comparison and analysis

In order to more intuitively demonstrate the practical application effect of DME, we have compiled the comparative data of some key performance indicators in the above cases (see Table 3):

Application Fields	Performance metrics	Original product value	Includes DME product values	Improvement (%)
Building Paints	Water Resistance	No change in 30 hours	No change in 51 hours	70
	Anti-UV Aging	800 hours	1160 hours	45
Wood paint	Drying time	6 hours	3.2 hours	50
	VOC emissions	80g/L	20g/L	-75
Industrial Anticorrosion Coatings	Salt spray resistance	1000 hours	1600 hours	60
	Acid and alkali corrosion resistance	30 days	42 days	40

These data clearly show that the introduction of DME not only significantly improves the core performance of various types of coatings, but also brings substantial breakthroughs in environmental protection and construction efficiency. Through these successful practical application cases, we can see the huge potential of DME in promoting the advancement of water-based coating technology.

Progress and development trends in domestic and foreign research

Around the world, the research on dimorpholinyl diethyl ether (DME) has become a hot topic in the field of environmentally friendly water-based coatings. In recent years, scientific research institutions and enterprises in various countries have invested a lot of resources to explore the new application of DME in coatings and its potential improvement directions. By sorting out relevant domestic and foreign literature and research results, we can clearly see the development context and future trends in this field.

Domestic research trends

In China, a team of professors from the Department of Chemical Engineering of Tsinghua University took the lead in conducting systematic research on the application of DME in high-performance water-based coatings. They developed a new nanocomposite technology, which successfully prepared a coating system with high hardness and flexibility by combining DME with silica particles. This technology has applied for a national invention patent and has obtained it in many well-known companiesto practical application. At the same time, the Institute of Materials Science of Fudan University focuses on the application of DME in low-temperature cured coatings, and proposed a catalytic reaction mechanism based on DME, which significantly reduces the curing temperature requirements of the coating and provides feasible solutions for cold northern regions.

Another important breakthrough in China comes from the Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Researchers found that by adjusting the molecular structure of DME, its dispersed behavior in the coating can be effectively regulated, thereby achieving precise control of the coating performance. This result was published in Journal of Coatings Technology and Research, which attracted high attention from international peers. In addition, Zhejiang University School of Environment and several paint manufacturers have jointly launched a three-year industry-university-research cooperation project aimed at developing multifunctional DME modified water-based coatings suitable for different substrates. Phase-based results have been achieved.

Status of international research

On the international stage, developed countries in Europe and the United States started early in DME-related research and accumulated rich theoretical and technical foundations. The Dr. Emily Green team from the Department of Chemical Engineering of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) proposed a “intelligent responsive” DME system that can automatically adjust the breathability and waterproofing properties of the paint according to the environmental humidity. This technology has been initially applied in the field of automotive interior coatings and has shown good market prospects.

German Bayer Materials Technology Co., Ltd. focuses on the application of DME in high-performance industrial coatings. They have developed a new DME modified polyurethane coating that not only has excellent mechanical properties, but also can effectively resist ultraviolet radiation and chemical corrosion. This product has been successfully applied in the fields of aerospace and rail transit and has been widely recognized by the industry. In addition, researchers from Tokyo University of Technology in Japan found that by introducing specific functional groups, DME can significantly improve the antioxidant ability and thermal stability of DME in coatings, providing new ideas for expanding its application range.

Future development direction

Comprehensive research progress at home and abroad, the future development of DME in environmentally friendly water-based coatings shows the following main trends:

Multifunctionalization: With the diversification of market demand, DME will develop in the direction of multifunctionality to meet the special needs of different application scenarios. For example, the development of DME modified coatings with functions such as self-healing, antibacterial or thermal insulation will become an important research direction.
Intelligence: Combining modern sensing technology and Internet of Things technology, developing an intelligent DME coating system that can monitor and respond to environmental changes in real time will be the key task in the next stage. This type of product will be widely used in areas such as building energy conservation and cultural relics protection.
Sustainability: Driven by the concept of green development, researchers will further optimize the synthesis process of DME to reduce energy consumption and waste emissions in the production process, and at the same time explore the possibility of renewable raw materials replacing traditional petrochemical raw materials.
Standardization Construction: With the continuous deepening of DME application, it is particularly important to establish a unified technical standard and evaluation system. This will help regulate market order and promote technological innovation and industrial upgrading.

Table 4 summarizes the main directions and representative results of current DME research:

Research Direction	Core content	Represents the results
Nanocomposite technology	Combining DME with nanoparticles to improve coating performance	Tsinghua University Patent Technology
Low temperature curing system	Use DME to reduce coating curing temperature requirements	Fudan University Catalytic Reaction Mechanism
Intelligent response system	Develop humidity-sensitive DME coatings	MIT intelligent responsive DME system
High-performance industrial coatings	Explore the application of DME in extreme environments	Bayer DME modified polyurethane coating
Antioxidation Research	Introduction of functional groups to improve DME stability	Tokyo University of Technology Antioxidant DME System

Through continuous technological innovation and in-depth research, DME will surely play a greater role in promoting the development of environmentally friendly water-based coatings and contribute to the realization of the sustainable development goals.

The inevitable choice for green development

In today’s increasingly environmental awareness, dimorpholinyl diethyl ether (DME), as a key component of environmentally friendly water-based coatings, is gradually becoming an important force in promoting the green transformation of the coating industry. As the global emphasis on sustainable development continues to increase, DME has pointed out the direction for the future of the coatings industry with its outstanding performance and environmentally friendly characteristics.

The widespread application of DME not only reflects the power of scientific and technological progress, but also is the crystallization of wisdom in the pursuit of harmonious coexistence with nature. It is like a bridge connecting traditional coating technology and modern environmental protection concepts, leading the entire industry to a greener and lower levelCarbon is moving forward. By continuously improving the performance of coatings while minimizing the impact on the environment, DME is helping us build a better world.

Looking forward, DME will continue to play an important role in the coatings industry and promote the birth of more innovative technologies and solutions. Let us work together to witness this hopeful green era, so that every drop of paint carries care for the earth and promise for the future. As an old saying goes, “Go forward steadily and persevere.” I believe that under the leadership of DME, our paint industry will usher in a more glorious tomorrow.

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