Monoethanolamine (MEA) ACS Grade

Product Overview

Monoethanolamine (MEA) ACS Grade, also known by its IUPAC name 2-aminoethanol, is an organic chemical compound with the molecular formula C2H7NO and a CAS number of 141-43-5. This clear, colorless liquid exhibits a distinct, unpleasant ammonia-like odor and serves as a fundamental building block in various industrial applications. As a bifunctional molecule containing both an amine and an alcohol group, it behaves as a weak base, reacting with acids to form salts or esters. This dual functionality makes it highly effective in chemical synthesis, gas sweetening, and surface preparation.

Alliance Chemical distributes this high-purity monoethanolamine to meet the demands of rigorous laboratory testing, analytical procedures, and specialized industrial manufacturing. The clear, colorless liquid has a density of approximately 1.016 at 68 degrees Fahrenheit, meaning it is denser than water and will sink when introduced to aquatic environments. Understanding the physical behavior and chemical properties of MEA is crucial for facility managers and technical teams who utilize this compound in chemical synthesis, neutralizing agents, and buffer preparations.

Why This Grade

Selecting the ACS Grade of monoethanolamine is critical for operations that require strict limit controls on impurities such as heavy metals, iron, and chloride. While lower technical grades are suitable for bulk gas scrubbing or crude surfactant manufacturing, they often contain trace metals and water variations that can destabilize sensitive chemical reactions or interfere with analytical instrumentation. In laboratory environments and high-precision formulation processes, choosing a non-standard grade can lead to unexpected side reactions, catalyst poisoning, or baseline drift in chromatography workflows.

Furthermore, utilizing a standardized ACS reagent ensures reproducibility across batch-to-batch production cycles. The absence of undefined organic residues prevents the degradation of delicate process components and maintains the expected pH response — a critical factor when formulating buffers or neutralizing acidic intermediates. Relying on an inferior grade can result in premature equipment corrosion, product discoloration, and failure to meet end-user purity specifications. Alliance Chemical provides this premium grade to mitigate these technical risks in your facility.

Industrial Applications

• Gas Sweetening and Acid Gas Removal: Monoethanolamine is widely used in scrubbing systems to remove carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide from natural gas streams, protecting downstream steel piping from corrosive damage. You can find related products in our Alcohols collection.
• Chemical Intermediate Synthesis: MEA serves as a primary precursor for manufacturing emulsifiers, agricultural chemicals, and plasticizers, where its bifunctional amine-alcohol structure enables complex organic synthesis reactions.
• Textile Auxiliary Agents: The compound is utilized to produce scouring agents, wetting agents, and dye assistants, ensuring uniform color distribution and fabric strength during high-temperature manufacturing processes.
• Metalworking Fluids and Rust Inhibitors: MEA acts as an organic neutralizing agent in lubricants and coolants, raising the pH to protect ferrous metal surfaces from premature corrosion during machining operations.
• Polishing and Cleaning Formulations: Incorporated into specialized industrial surface preparations, MEA neutralizes acidic components and emulsifies greases, providing critical surface prep before industrial coating applications.

Hazmat & Shipping

Monoethanolamine is a regulated hazardous material due to its corrosive properties. For transport, it is classified as UN2491, Hazard Class 8, Packing Group III, with the proper shipping name ETHANOLAMINE. Under GHS guidelines, the designated Signal Word is Danger. This substance is corrosive to tissue, moderately toxic, and may attack copper, brass, and rubber. During combustion, it produces toxic oxides of nitrogen, which requires specialized fire mitigation strategies. All shipments are strictly managed in compliance with DOT regulations to ensure safe delivery to your facility.

Personnel handling this chemical must wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) as dictated by the hazard statements. This includes chemical-resistant gloves, protective clothing, and splash-resistant eye protection. Given its corrosive nature and toxicity when inhaled or ingested, strict adherence to handling guidelines is required. A detailed Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is provided with every order to ensure your team is fully informed of safe handling protocols and environmental protection requirements.

Handling & Storage

Store monoethanolamine in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from direct sunlight and incompatible materials. MEA is incompatible with strong acids, strong oxidizing agents, copper, brass, and rubber, which it can rapidly degrade. Keep containers tightly closed when not in use to prevent the absorption of moisture and carbon dioxide from the air. Ensure storage temperatures remain above its freezing point of 50.5 °F to prevent solidification while avoiding exposure to temperatures near its flash point of 200 °F.

Order & Documentation

Alliance Chemical is dedicated to providing high-quality chemical distribution with comprehensive documentation. A Certificate of Analysis (COA) is available upon request for all batches of our Monoethanolamine (MEA) ACS Grade. To secure your supply or discuss bulk logistics, please reach out to our team today. You can easily Request a Quote for bulk pricing or Download the SDS for detailed safety and compliance information.

Why Buy from Alliance Chemical

Since 1997, Alliance Chemical has supplied premium industrial chemicals from Taylor, Texas under CAGE Code 1LT50, with a COA and SDS included on every order. For industrial use only.