High-Purity Solvents, Personal Care

Hydrogenated Tallow Amine

Hydrogenated Tallow Amine (CAS: 61788-45-2) is a high-purity primary aliphatic amine derived from the fatty acids of tallow. The production process involves the catalytic hydrogenation of tallow-derived nitriles, which ensures the saturation of the alkyl chains. This saturation distinguishes it from standard tallow amine by providing significantly enhanced thermal and oxidative stability. Chemically, it consists primarily of a mixture of saturated C16 (palmitic) and C18 (stearic) hydrocarbon chains attached to a polar primary amino group.

Physically, this compound manifests as a white, waxy solid at room temperature with a characteristic ammoniacal odor. As a cationic surfactant precursor, it serves as a critical building block in the chemical industry. Its amphiphilic nature—combining a hydrophobic long-chain tail with a hydrophilic head—enables it to adsorb onto various surfaces, making it indispensable for applications involving emulsification, corrosion inhibition, and surface modification. It is highly valued for its bio-based origin and its predictable reactivity in synthesis.

Attributes

Key Features and Benefits

Enhanced Oxidative Stability: The hydrogenation process eliminates double bonds, preventing the material from becoming rancid or undergoing color degradation over time.
Strong Surface Adsorption: Its cationic nature allows for excellent substantivity to negatively charged substrates, including metals, minerals, and textile fibers.
High Primary Amine Content: Ensures high efficiency and stoichiometric precision when used as a chemical intermediate for neutralization or derivatization.
Lubricity and Release: The long-chain paraffinic structure provides natural lubricity, reducing friction in mechanical and polymer processing applications.
Renewable Feedstock: Derived from natural tallow fatty acids, offering a more sustainable profile compared to purely synthetic petroleum-based amines.

Specifications

Technical Highlights

Chemical Composition: Predominantly Octadecylamine ($C_{18}H_{39}N$) and Hexadecylamine ($C_{16}H_{35}N$).
Amine Value: Typically ranges from 205 to 215 mg KOH/g, indicating high functional purity.
Iodine Value: Characteristically low (usually $< 3$ $gI_2/100g$), confirming a high degree of saturation and chemical inertness to oxidation.
Melting Point: Ranges between $45^circ C$ and $55^circ C$, requiring moderate heating for liquid-phase processing.
Solubility Profile: Insoluble in water; highly soluble in organic solvents such as isopropyl alcohol, chloroform, and various aromatic hydrocarbons.
Reactivity: Readily forms salts with organic and inorganic acids; undergoes ethoxylation or alkylation to produce specialized surfactants.

Download Technical Data Sheet (TDS)

Practical industry uses

Applications

Mineral Flotation: Serves as a highly effective collector in the mining industry for the separation of potash, feldspar, and silica from ores.
Chemical Intermediates: Used as a precursor for manufacturing quaternary ammonium compounds (quats), which are essential for fabric softeners and disinfectants.
Asphalt Additives: Functions as an antistripping agent in bitumen formulations to improve the adhesion between asphalt and mineral aggregates.
Metalworking Fluids: Incorporated into formulations as a corrosion inhibitor and lubricant to protect metal surfaces during machining.
Polymer Processing: Utilized as an internal mold release agent and an antistatic additive in the production of polyethylenes and polypropylenes.
Pigment Treatment: Acts as a dispersing agent to improve the wetting and stabilization of pigments in paints and inks.