Triethylene Glycol (TEG) is a colorless liquid with a mild odor and is denser than water. It is a member of a series of dihydroxyalcohols. TEG's primary applications are derived from its ability to absorb moisture. It is utilized as a dehydrating agent in natural gas pipelines to eliminate water from the gas before reusing it in the system. Triethylene glycol also has mild disinfectant qualities and, when volatised, is used as an air disinfectant for virus and bacteria control.
Triethylene glycol is prepared commercially as a co-product of the oxidation of ethylene at high temperature, in the presence of a silver oxide catalyst. The ethylene oxide is then hydrated to yield mono, di, tri, and tetra ethylene glycols.
Triethylene glycol can be stored and transported in stainless steel, aluminium or lined tank cars, tank trucks, or 225 kg drums. It has a specific gravity of 1.125 and a flash point of 168 °C (closed cup) and is not classified for transport by road, sea, or rail.
Triethylene glycol "also known as TEG, triglycol and trigen" is a colourless, viscous, non-volatile liquid with the formula C6H14O4. It is well known for its hygroscopic quality and its ability to dehumidify fluids.
Physical Properties:
| Melting Point | −7 °C(lit.) |
| Boiling Point | 125-127 °C0.1 mm Hg(lit.) |
| Density | 1.124 g/mL at 20 °C(lit.) |
| Vapour density | 5.2 (vs air) |
| Vapour pressure | <0.01 mm Hg ( 20 °C) |
| Refractive index |
n |
| Flash Point | 165 °C |
| Storage temprature | Store below +30°C. |
| Solublity | H2O: 50 mg/mL at 20 °C, clear, colorless |
| Form | Viscous liquid |
| pKa | 14.06±0.10(Predicted) |
| Colour | Clear very slight yellow |
| PH | 5.5-7.0 (25℃, 50mg/mL in H2O) |
| Odour | Very mild sweet |
| Explosive limit | 0.9-9.2%(V) |
| Water solublity | Soluble |
| Sensitive | Hygroscopic |
| Dielectric constant | 2.4（25℃） |
| Stability | Stable combustible incompatible with strong oxidizing agent |
| H2O: 50 mg/mL at 20 °C, clear, colorless |
- Triethylene glycol is a solvent prepared from ethylene oxide and ethylene glycol.
- Triethylene glycol can be used:
- To prepare fatty acid gelators, which are used to gelate various edible and vegetable oils.
- As a solvent to prepare superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for in situ protein purification.
- As an absorbent agent in the subsea natural gas dehydration process.
- Triethylene glycol is used as a plasticizer, as an additive for hydraulic fluids and brake fluids, and as a disinfectant. It is an active component of certain pigments, printing dyes, inks and paste.
- It finds application as a liquid desiccant and used in the dehydration of natural gas, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide and air conditioning systems.
- It plays as an important role in anti-freeze and de-icing products, cleaning and furnishing care products, lubricant and greases.
Octane-1,8-diol in which the carbon atoms at positions 3 and 6 have been replaced by oxygen atoms
