Diethylene Glycol Ethyl Ether Acetate stands out in the chemical world as a clear, colorless liquid with a faint, pleasant odor. Its simplicity by name belies a complex molecular structure. The formula, C10H20O5, describes ten carbon atoms, an even balance of hydrogen and oxygen, a design that gives this compound unique properties among glycol ethers. This solution usually pours at room temperature. With a density of about 1.04 g/cm³, it feels just a bit heavier than water, but it flows smoothly, clings a little to glassware, and can surprise you with the faint sweetness in its smell.
Diethylene Glycol Ethyl Ether Acetate brings together the chemical backbone of diethylene glycol, an ethyl group, and an acetate group, producing good solubility in water and many organic solvents. This makes it quite useful in industries requiring a strong yet gentle solvent. Its chemical fingerprint points to low volatility, which keeps evaporation to a minimum. No matter how you shake it, its boiling point, about 210°C, remains among its key markers. The structure’s flexibility means it doesn’t crystallize under normal room conditions; you won’t see it as flakes, powder, pearls, or solids unless extreme cooling steps in. Left in a warm, dry place, it stays liquid—never forming crystals like some other solvents do.
Every material in a factory or lab brings both promise and risk. Diethylene Glycol Ethyl Ether Acetate carries an HS Code: 2915399090, recognized in customs paperwork and in safety data. Workers who’ve handled this chemical for years will tell you it likes to dissolve paints, dyes, inks, and heavy greases. It erases sticky residues where water can’t reach. In my experience on the factory floor, a single liter can lift stubborn coatings from metal parts, offering efficiency without the harshness of stronger, more hazardous cleaners. But it’s not risk-free. It’s less toxic than some competitors like butyl acetate, but repeated skin contact brings irritation, and inhaling its vapors can bother the upper respiratory tract. For those handling large quantities, gloves, goggles, and decent ventilation make a world of difference.
In practice, you’ll find Diethylene Glycol Ethyl Ether Acetate only as a liquid — not in flakes or crystal forms. Commercial suppliers ship it in drums and totes, measured by liter or kilogram, with purity above 98%. The chemical’s specific gravity around 1.04 means drum contents won’t slosh as much as lighter solvents (like acetone) when transported. Pouring it, the viscosity falls near water, allowing a quick fill into mixing tanks. Handling tips come straight from experience: always check for leaks, avoid splashing, and store it away from open flames or sparks. The flash point sits between 90°C and 96°C, which categorizes it as a combustible, not flammable, material. This distinction sounds minor, but it changes warehouse storage — putting it away from sources of high heat rather than treating it as a high-explosion risk.
The world’s industrial volumes of Diethylene Glycol Ethyl Ether Acetate grow out of petrochemical feedstocks. Producers synthesize it from diethylene glycol, extracting ethylene oxide from crude oil, and refining it until pure. The acetate group comes from acetic acid, another familiar face in chemical plants. The process, acidic and precise, runs at temperature and pressure settings known only to experienced operators overseeing every reaction batch. My time spent near those reactors taught me the crucial role of temperature monitoring: let it drift five degrees and you risk byproducts that cut purity or create toxic hazards. Finished product heads out for solvent applications in coatings, cleaning fluids, and even printing processes, entering supply chains from China, Europe, and North America.
People need to respect the hazards tied to Diethylene Glycol Ethyl Ether Acetate. Short-term exposure, like a short splash on skin, usually causes irritation rather than immediate harm. But careless long-term use can lead to headaches or drowsiness, especially where ventilation runs poor. Unlike explosive solvents, this chemical won’t ignite easily, but an open container sitting near a heating element should raise alarms. Warehouse teams I’ve worked with prefer to keep clear warning labels and safety sheets close by, drilling monthly on storage hazards and emergency cleanup. Any leak on a warehouse floor gets treated with absorbent pads, triple-bagged, and sent for proper disposal — local laws spell out those details.
Chemicals like Diethylene Glycol Ethyl Ether Acetate bring economic value, but cleanup and waste demand constant attention. Disposing large volumes into sewers causes trouble downstream. Water plants don’t break down this molecule easily, so it flows through systems, impacting aquatic life. Experience shows the best solution involves proper container re-use, careful handling, and local incineration for liquid waste. Tech advances like closed-loop recycling within factories make a practical difference, reducing both air emissions and loss of raw materials. Industry peers talk of better plant design — skilled operators, filtered exhaust, robust pipes, and a relentless focus on incident prevention. The more companies invest in these solutions, the lower the risks to both people and environment.
Diethylene Glycol Ethyl Ether Acetate remains a workhorse in many industrial shops, valued for its balance of solvency, low odor, and moderate hazard profile. The right procedures can give users the benefit of a smart solvent without tipping into unnecessary risk. From spec sheets to loading docks, everyone who touches this chemical shapes its safety, efficiency, and environmental legacy.
