Anhui Eapearl Chemical | Coconut Diethanolamide (CDEA / Industry Grade 6501) Surfactant Series
Anhui Eapearl Chemical Co., Ltd. is a chemical raw material enterprise specializing in the R&D and supporting supply of surfactants for surface cleaning, daily chemical and industrial applications. It owns complete alkanolamide synthesis lines and standardized quality control systems, and provides integrated raw material solutions including graded detergent surfactants and formulation technical support.
I. Standard Chemical Dossier of Product
1. Basic Identification Information
Standard Chinese Name: Coconut Fatty Acid Diethanolamide
Common Industry Abbreviation: CDEA, Industrial Grade 6501, Ninol
Full English Name: Coconut Fatty Acid Diethanolamide
INCI Standard Name: Cocamide DEA
CAS No.: 68603-42-9
EINECS No.: 271-657-0
General Molecular Formula:R-CON(CH2CH2OH)2
Carbon Chain Composition: R = mixed C8~C18 alkyl derived from natural coconut oil, with C12 lauryl group as the main active carbon chain
Synthesis Process: Methyl coconut fatty acid undergoes catalytic amidation condensation with diethanolamine (DEA) under high temperature. Supported by standardized alkanolamide synthesis production lines, the enterprise precisely controls key impurities such as residual amine and chroma. Two industrial grades are produced based on the molar ratio of fatty acid to DEA: 1:1 equimolar type and 2:1 DEA-excess type.
Applicable Domestic Standard: QB/T 2851-2007 Alkanolamides
Global Compliance Framework: EU Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 Cosmetics Regulation, Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals, Technical Specification for Cosmetic Safety (2022 Edition), California Proposition 65 Carcinogen Warning List
Two Standard Commercial Grades (Uniform Test Conditions: 25℃, Relative Humidity 50%)
1. CDEA-1:1 High-Activity Grade: Equimolar condensation product with high amide content, pale yellow transparent viscous liquid, packed in 200kg anti-corrosion lined plastic drums
2. CDEA-2:1 Economic Grade: DEA-excess condensation product featuring excellent water solubility and lower overall cost, amber viscous liquid, packed in 200kg anti-corrosion lined plastic drums
Physical Property Description: Liquid at ambient temperature without precipitation or solidification. It can be uniformly mixed with water and various surfactants without heating under low-temperature conditions, which is distinctly different from room-temperature solid CMEA (6502).
2. National Standard & Eapearl Dual-Grade Internal Control Physicochemical Indexes
Test Item | Premium Grade Limit of QB/T 2851-2007 | Eapearl CDEA 1:1 High-Activity Grade | Eapearl CDEA 2:1 Industrial Economic Grade | Standard Test Method |
Amide Active Matter | ≥90.0% | ≥88% | 78~82% | Acid-Base Titration Method |
Free DEA (Amine Value) | ≤25mgKOH/g | ≤18mgKOH/g | ≤22mgKOH/g | Potentiometric Titration Method |
Moisture & Volatiles | ≤3.0% | ≤2.5% | ≤3.0% | Gravimetric Drying Loss Method |
Hazen Color of 10% Ethanol Solution | ≤80 | ≤60 | ≤75 | GB/T 3143 Spectrophotometry |
pH of 1% Aqueous Solution (25℃) | 8.0~11.0 | 8.5~10.2 | 9.0~10.8 | Potentiometric Titration Method |
HLB Hydrophilic-Lipophilic Balance Value | 13~15 | 13.2 | 14.6 | Emulsification Comparative Test Method |
28-Day Biodegradability (OECD 301B) | ≥88% | ≥90% | ≥88% | Closed-Bottle CO₂ Evolution Test |
Compliance Professional Notes
1. Unreacted free secondary amine DEA remains in CDEA. NDELA nitrosamines, potential carcinogens, may form when nitrites and acidic environments coexist in the system.
2. EU Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 and domestic cosmetic safety specifications impose strict restrictions on CDEA in leave-on and rinse-off personal care products; it is only permitted for industrial cleaning scenarios with no risk of nitrosamine generation.
3. CMEA (Coconut Monoethanolamide, 6502) only retains primary amine MEA with no conditions for nitrosamine formation, serving as a compliant alternative for cosmetics. The two products must be strictly distinguished by application fields.
II. Molecular Interfacial Chemistry, Grade Performance Differences & Compliance Comparison of CDEA and CMEA
2.1 Standard Interfacial Mechanism of CDEA
As a core nonionic detergent matching raw material in the enterprise’s full product portfolio, CDEA is a diethanolamide-type nonionic alkanolamide composed of hydrophobic coconut alkyl chains and hydrophilic diethanol groups with double hydroxyl groups. Hydrogen bonds form between CDEA and anionic surfactants such as LAS and AES to construct entangled wormlike micelles, supporting four core industrial performance mechanisms:
1. Low-Temperature Thickening Mechanism: Liquid at room temperature allows direct feeding and dispersion without preheating. Hydrogen bonding between dihydroxyl groups and anionic surfactants reconstructs spherical micelles into long wormlike micelles. Addition of sodium chloride electrolyte significantly boosts viscosity, meeting the demand for thick, stable foam in car wash liquids and heavy-duty industrial cleaners.
2. Long-Lasting Foam Stabilization & High Foaming Mechanism: Double hydroxyl groups adsorb on gas-liquid foam films to improve film tensile elasticity and Marangoni self-repair effect, suppressing foam collapse caused by liquid drainage and gas diffusion. The molecule exhibits weak chelating capacity for Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ to alleviate defoaming induced by LAS lime soap, forming thick foam with strong surface adhesion and long retention time.
3. Heavy Oil Penetration & Emulsification Mechanism: Long hydrophobic alkyl chains penetrate mineral oil and solid animal/vegetable grease, while dihydroxyl groups expand oil-water emulsification capacity and inhibit redeposition of contaminants, ideal for heavy-duty industrial cleaning.
4. Chemical Stability Threshold: Stable within alkaline systems at pH 7~12. Long-term storage or processing above 90℃ triggers amide hydrolysis, raising free DEA content and causing irreversible attenuation of foaming and thickening performance. Storage and compounding with nitrites are prohibited to avoid nitrosamine generation.
2.2 Performance Selection Table: CDEA 1:1 vs CDEA 2:1
Comparison Dimension | CDEA 1:1 Equimolar Grade | CDEA 2:1 DEA-Excess Grade | Formulation Selection Logic for Industrial Use |
Amide Active Content | High (≥88%) | Moderate (78~82%) | Select 1:1 for high foaming & thickening requirements; select 2:1 for mass low-cost cleaning formulas |
Free DEA Content | Lower | Higher | Prioritize 1:1 for food-contact equipment and low-residue industrial scenarios |
Cold Water Solubility | Moderate, slight turbidity at high concentration | Excellent, fully transparent at any cold-water dilution ratio | Select 2:1 for low-temperature spray car wash liquids and low-viscosity cleaners |
Comprehensive Raw Material Cost | Higher | Lower | Prioritize 2:1 for heavy machinery and exterior wall heavy dirt cleaners |
Core Applicable Scenarios | Premium pre-wash foam car wash liquid, precision metal degreaser | General hard-surface cleaner, textile scouring agent, pesticide emulsifier | Adopt 2:1 for mass-produced industrial cleaners |
2.3 Regulation & Performance Comparison: CDEA vs CMEA
Comparison Dimension | CDEA Coconut Diethanolamide (Industrial 6501) | CMEA Coconut Monoethanolamide (Compliant 6502) |
Residual Amine Type | Secondary amine DEA, risk of NDELA nitrosamine formation | Primary amine MEA, no nitrosamine generation conditions |
EU Regulation (EC) No 1223 Cosmetics Restriction | Restricted for cosmetics, prohibited in export washing care products | Listed on CosIng inventory, compliant for all cosmetic categories |
Physical State at Room Temperature | Pale yellow liquid, direct feeding at ambient temperature | Waxy solid, requires melting at 60~70℃ before feeding |
Comprehensive Raw Material Cost | Low, preferred for mass industrial cleaning | Higher, dedicated to daily washing formulas |
Skin Irritation Level | Relatively high, strong degreasing irritation at high concentration | Low irritation, applicable to infant care products |
Main Application Fields | Car wash fluids, industrial heavy oil cleaners, textile auxiliaries | Shampoos, dishwashing liquids, export beauty care products |
2.4 Synergistic Chemical Logic of Standard High-Foam Car Wash Formulation
Mature base system for industrial high-foam car wash liquid: LAS Sodium Linear Alkylbenzene Sulfonate + AES Sodium Laureth Sulfate + CDEA + Sodium Chloride
1. Functional Division: LAS removes mineral dust and heavy mineral oil from road surfaces; AES improves low-temperature transparency and hard water resistance; CDEA undertakes core thickening and long-lasting foaming functions; sodium chloride amplifies wormlike micelle entanglement to further increase viscosity.
2. Quantified Synergy Effect: Addition of 1.5~3.0% CDEA raises foam thickness and wall adhesion duration by 2.5 times under identical total surfactant dosage; system viscosity can be adjusted to 5000~10000 mPa·s to form thick clinging cleaning foam.
3. Compatibility Taboos: No compounding with nitrites or concentrated strong acids; compatible with all anionic and conventional nonionic surfactants at any ratio; direct high-proportion mixing with cationic quaternary ammonium salts is forbidden, which destroys micelles and causes defoaming, stratification and viscosity loss.
2.5 Mandatory Process Control Limits for Formulation & Warehousing
1. Feeding Temperature Control: Feed and disperse directly at room temperature without melting preheating. Prolonged stirring above 90℃ is forbidden, as amide hydrolysis leads to permanent foaming loss.
2. Applicable pH Window: Stable for alkaline systems pH 7~12; irreversible amide bond cleavage and product failure occur under strong acid conditions (pH＜6).
3. Warehouse Compatibility Isolation: Separate storage and batching from nitrites and nitrosating agents to eliminate nitrosamine carcinogen generation risk.
4. Export Selection Tip: Replace CDEA with DEA-free CMEA for beauty care exports to Europe, America and Southeast Asia.
III. Standard Application Scenarios & Dosing Specifications
3.1 Core Field: Vehicle Cleaning
1. Pre-wash high-foam car wash liquid, no-rinse foam detergent: Standard CDEA dosage 1.5~3.0%, compounded with LAS/AES + sodium chloride. Thick, long-lasting foam forms under cold water to extend dirt removal time.
2. Interior heavy oil cleaner, tire heavy dirt detergent: Dosage 2.0~4.0% to enhance penetration and emulsification of mineral grease.
3.2 Household & Industrial Hard-Surface Cleaning Systems
1. Heavy-duty kitchen degreaser, alkaline range hood cleaner: Dosage 1.0~2.5%, compatible with high-alkali degreasing formulas.
2. Floor & exterior wall spray cleaners for factories.
3. Ambient-temperature metal degreasers and spray degreasing fluids for workpieces.
3.3 Textile & Agrochemical Auxiliaries
1. Textile pretreatment scouring agents, leveling penetration aids to remove weaving sizing and equipment oil stains.
2. Wetting and foaming additives for pesticide EC and wettable powders to boost pesticide leaf adhesion.
Standard Production Operation Specifications
1. Feed liquid CDEA directly into anionic aqueous solution and stir at low speed at room temperature without preheating melting.
2. Add sodium chloride in small batches gradually if system viscosity is insufficient, and test target viscosity step by step.
3. Prioritize CDEA-1:1 low free DEA grade for formulas used on food-contact cleaning equipment.
IV. One-Stop Supply Advantages of Full Detergent Surfactants
Anhui Eapearl Chemical Co., Ltd. has a complete product matrix of anionic and nonionic detergent surfactants, providing one-stop raw material procurement services for industrial and daily chemical manufacturers.
1. Permanent stock of full detergent surfactant series Both CDEA-1:1 high-activity and CDEA-2:1 economic grades are in stock, together with compliant CMEA, AES, AESA, LAS, K12 and AOS. Industrial cleaning manufacturers can source all required raw materials from a single supplier, cutting costs on multi-supplier inspection, warehousing and communication. This product was exhibited as a core auxiliary in the industrial cleaning section at the 2026 IES Fine Chemical Exhibition.
2. Dual graded products matching diverse industrial working conditions
· CDEA-2:1 Economic Grade: Cost-effective for mass-produced car wash fluids and general heavy-duty industrial cleaners.
· CDEA-1:1 High-Activity Grade: Lower free DEA content, superior foaming and thickening performance for premium pre-wash foam and food-contact equipment cleaning.
1. Cross-regional standardized warehousing network Central warehouse in Tongling linked with dedicated chemical warehouses in Nanjing, Shanghai, Hefei and Zibo. Same-day allocation for orders from Yangtze River Delta industrial clients; ten-thousand-ton permanent inventory of CDEA guarantees uninterrupted supply.
2. Complete domestic & export compliance documents Chinese & English COA and 16-section GHS SDS are issued per batch. Products complete REACH pre-registration with no SVHC substances. Supporting test reports meet import audits for industrial cleaners in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Australia and nearly 200 countries globally.
3. Customized industrial cleaning formulation technical support Chemical engineers provide standard LAS+AES+CDEA high-foam car wash base formulas to resolve common formulation defects including foam runoff, insufficient viscosity, defoaming in hard water and storage stratification.
4. Unified standardized packaging CDEA 1:1 / CDEA 2:1 uniformly packed in 200kg anti-corrosion lined plastic drums. Bulk tank truck sea transportation is available for large-volume industrial orders.
V. Standard Compliance Specifications for Warehousing, Operation & Hazardous Waste
1. Mandatory Warehouse Temperature Standard: Hermetically sealed cool dry warehouse at 15~40℃. Long-term storage above 90℃ is prohibited; high temperature triggers amide hydrolysis causing irreversible loss of foaming and thickening performance.
2. Warehouse Compatibility Isolation: Do not store alongside concentrated strong acids, nitrites and nitrosating agents to avoid NDELA nitrosamine formation risk.
3. Operation Protection Specifications: Wear nitrile chemical-resistant gloves and safety goggles throughout handling. Undiluted stock solution has strong degreasing irritation; avoid prolonged skin contact and maintain ventilation in production workshops.
4. Waste Liquid Classification: Wastewater falls under HW09 oil-water emulsified hazardous waste (Code 900-007-09) per National Hazardous Waste Catalogue (2021 Edition). Disposal must be entrusted to qualified institutions; direct discharge into municipal sewage pipelines is strictly forbidden.
5. Marine Shipment GHS Specification: Classified as irritant organic nonionic surfactant, not high-risk dangerous goods. Complete IMDG-compliant English SDS documents are provided for export shipments.
VI. Conclusion
Coconut Diethanolamide (CDEA / Industrial Grade 6501) is a diethanolamide nonionic alkanolamide with liquid state at room temperature, low-temperature solubility and low raw material cost. Blended with anionic surfactants LAS and AES, it forms high-viscosity thick foam systems with outstanding foam stabilization, thickening and heavy oil penetration & emulsification capacity. However, residual secondary amine DEA creates nitrosamine generation risks, leading to strict restrictions under EU and domestic cosmetic regulations; it is only applicable to industrial cleaning scenarios without personal care contact, serving as a low-cost core foaming and thickening raw material for car wash fluids, hard-surface heavy dirt cleaners and textile auxiliaries. As a supporting enterprise specializing in the R&D and production of surfactants for surface cleaning and daily industrial chemicals, Anhui Eapearl Chemical Co., Ltd. offers two industrial grades: CDEA 1:1 high-activity and CDEA 2:1 economic, alongside a full chain of matching detergent surfactants including CMEA, AES, AESA, LAS, K12 and AOS. Clear product selection systems are divided for industrial cleaning and premium daily chemical use. Full test certificates complying with national standards and REACH are provided, with services including formulation debugging and sample verification for industrial cleaning formulas. Stable long-term supply is available for car wash raw material manufacturers, industrial detergent producers and global foreign trade purchasers.
Corporate Information
Anhui Eapearl Chemical Co., Ltd.
Shanghai Eapearl Industrial Co., Ltd.
Overseas Subsidiary: PT Indonesia Eapearl Chemical
Website: epchems.com
Contact: +86-18656201888 (Whatsapp / Wechat)
E-Mail: sales@epchems.com
Addresses
Anhui Headquarters No.518 Tongguanshu Valley, Tongguan District, Tongling City, Anhui Province, P.R.China
Shanghai Warehouse & Office No.918 Zhenchen Road, Baoshan Urban Industrial Park, Baoshan District, Shanghai, P.R.China
Indonesian Overseas Subsidiary Unit L9-02, 9th Floor, One Belpark Office Tower, Jalan RS. Fatmawati No.1, Pondok Labu, Cilandak, South Jakarta Administrative City, Republic of Indonesia
www.epchems.com
安徽易普化工有限公司
0
0 
