Application of continuous production line for bis(dimethylaminoethyl) ether foaming catalyst BDMAEE building exterior wall insulation board

Date：2025-03-20 Categories：Our Projects

Bis(dimethylaminoethyl) ether: the past and present life of foaming catalyst BDMAEE

In the field of building insulation materials, there is a magical chemical that is quietly changing our world. It is bis(dimethylaminoethyl)ether, referred to as BDMAEE for short. The name may sound a bit difficult to pronounce, but it is a talented character who plays a crucial catalytic role in the production of rigid polyurethane foams.

BDMAEE is a transparent liquid, like a low-key and efficient hero behind the scenes, silently promoting the continuous progress of the production technology of building exterior wall insulation boards. As a catalyst for the foaming reaction, it can significantly accelerate the reaction between isocyanate and polyol, while promoting the reaction between water and isocyanate to form carbon dioxide gas, thereby forming an ideal foam structure. This unique dual catalytic function makes BDMAEE stand out among many catalysts and becomes the first choice for the production of rigid polyurethane foams.

In the context of building energy conservation, the application value of BDMAEE is becoming increasingly prominent. It can not only improve the physical performance of foam products, but also effectively reduce production energy consumption and extend the service life of the equipment. Especially in continuous production lines, BDMAEE’s excellent performance makes it an indispensable and key raw material. By accurately controlling its usage, it can achieve an excellent balance of key indicators such as foam density and thermal conductivity, providing reliable guarantees for the efficient production of building exterior wall insulation boards.

This article will deeply explore the application of BDMAEE in the continuous production line of building exterior wall insulation panels, from basic principles to actual operations, from product parameters to process optimization, to fully demonstrate the charm of this magic catalyst. Let’s walk into the world of BDMAEE together and explore how it plays an important role in the field of energy conservation in modern buildings.

Basic characteristics and working principles of BDMAEE

BDMAEE, as a high-performance foaming catalyst, has a molecular structure that determines its unique catalytic properties. From a chemical structure point of view, BDMAEE is connected by two dimethylaminoethyl groups through ether bonds. This special structure gives it strong alkalinity and excellent solubility. Specifically, BDMAEE has a molecular weight of about 154 g/mol, a boiling point of about 230°C and a density of about 0.98 g/cm³. These basic parameters provide a good operating window for it in industrial applications.

In the foaming process of rigid polyurethane foam, BDMAEE mainly plays a role in two ways. First, it is able to significantly accelerate the reaction between isocyanate (NCO) and polyol (OH), a process known as gel reaction. BDMAEE reduces the activation energy required for the reaction by providing active protons, allowing the reaction to proceed rapidly at lower temperatures. Secondly, BDMAEE can also promote the reaction between water and isocyanate, generate carbon dioxide gas and form ammonia.Pythium formate structure. This process is crucial for the formation of foam pore structure and is directly related to the density and mechanical properties of the final product.

Table 1 summarizes the main physicochemical properties of BDMAEE:

parameter name	Value Range	Unit
Molecular Weight	154	g/mol
Boiling point	230	℃
Density	0.98	g/cm³
Purity	≥99%	%
Color	Colorless to light yellow	–
Water-soluble	Easy to dissolve	–

The catalytic mechanism of BDMAEE can be expressed by the following reaction equation:

Gel reaction: R-NCO + HO-R’ → R-NH-COO-R’
Foaming reaction: H₂O + R-NCO → CO₂↑ + R-NH-COOH

It is particularly noteworthy that BDMAEE has excellent selective catalytic capabilities. Compared with other general-purpose catalysts, it can better balance the rate of gel reaction and foaming reaction, avoiding cell collapse or cracking caused by mismatch in reaction rates. This balance is particularly important for the production of high-quality rigid polyurethane foams, because it directly affects key indicators such as the density, thermal conductivity and mechanical properties of the foam.

In addition, BDMAEE also showed good stability. Even at higher reaction temperatures, it maintains stable catalytic activity and is not easy to decompose or inactivate. This feature makes it particularly suitable for continuous production processes, which can maintain the normal operation of the reaction system for a long time and stably.

BDMAEE’s application advantages in continuous production lines of building exterior wall insulation panels

The application of BDMAEE in the continuous production line of building exterior wall insulation panels is like a carefully arranged symphony, and every link cannot be separated from its precise regulation. First, the introduction of BDMAEE significantly improved the automation level of the production line. becauseIts excellent catalytic efficiency greatly shortens the reaction time and significantly accelerates the production rhythm. According to industry data, after using BDMAEE, the daily production capacity of a single production line can be increased by more than 30%, which is equivalent to producing more products worth millions of yuan each year without increasing equipment investment.

From the economic benefit perspective, the application of BDMAEE has brought obvious cost advantages. Although its price is slightly higher than that of ordinary catalysts, the overall cost of use is lower, considering that it uses less amount and has higher reaction efficiency. More importantly, BDMAEE can significantly improve the uniformity of foam products and reduce waste rate. According to statistics, after adopting BDMAEE, the product pass rate can be increased to more than 98%, which means that for every 10,000 square meters of insulation board is produced, tens of thousands of yuan of raw material costs can be saved.

In terms of product quality, the role of BDMAEE is even more irreplaceable. It can accurately control the density and thermal conductivity of the foam, ensuring that the product reaches an optimal balance in thermal insulation performance. Specifically, the thermal conductivity of the insulation board produced using BDMAEE can be stably controlled at around 0.022W/(m·K), which is far better than the industry standard requirements. At the same time, the mechanical strength of the foam has also been significantly improved, and the compressive strength can reach more than 150kPa, which is particularly important for the insulation of exterior walls of high-rise buildings.

It is worth mentioning that BDMAEE also has good environmental protection characteristics. Its low volatile formula reduces the emission of harmful substances and complies with increasingly stringent environmental regulations. In addition, due to its strong reaction selectivity, it does not produce too many by-products, which further reduces the cost of subsequent treatment. This green production method is not only conducive to enterprises fulfilling their social responsibilities, but also helps enterprises obtain more policy support and market opportunities.

Examples of application of BDMAEE in different building exterior wall insulation panel production lines

In order to more intuitively demonstrate the application effect of BDMAEE in the continuous production line of building exterior wall insulation panels, we selected three typical cases for analysis. These cases represent different types of enterprise scale and technical level, covering different application scenarios from small and medium-sized enterprises to large groups.

Case 1: Small and medium-sized production enterprise Company A

Company A is a small and medium-sized insulation material manufacturer focusing on regional markets, with an annual production capacity of about 500,000 square meters. Before introducing BDMAEE, the company mainly used traditional amine catalysts, facing the problems of large fluctuations in product density and high scrap rate. Since 2020, Company A has begun to gradually replace it with the BDMAEE catalyst system. After a year of adaptation, its production efficiency has increased by 25%, and the product pass rate has increased from the original 90% to 97%. It is particularly noteworthy that after using BDMAEE, the consistency of the thermal conductivity of the product was significantly improved, and the standard deviation decreased from the original ±0.002 to ±0.001.

Table 2 shows that Company A before using BDMAEEComparison of key indicators afterwards:

parameter name	Pre-use value	Value after use	Elevation
Production efficiency (%)	75	94	+25%
Pass rate (%)	90	97	+7.8%
Thermal conductivity deviation	±0.002	±0.001	-50%
Annual output (10,000 square meters)	40	50	+25%

Case 2: Large Manufacturing Group B

B Group is a leading enterprise in the domestic and foreign wall insulation materials industry. It has three fully automatic continuous production lines with an annual production capacity of more than 3 million square meters. The group began comprehensively promoting the BDMAEE catalyst system in all its production lines in 2018. By cooperating with suppliers to develop customized formulas, the intelligent upgrade of the production line has been successfully achieved. At present, Group B’s production line can automatically adjust the amount of BDMAEE to accurately control the density and thermal conductivity of the product.

According to data provided by Group B, after using BDMAEE, the overall energy consumption of its production line was reduced by 15%, and the equipment maintenance cycle was extended by 30%. More importantly, the consistency of the product has been significantly improved, and the customer complaint rate has dropped by more than 60%. This not only improves customer satisfaction, but also wins more opportunities in the high-end market for the group.

Case 3: Export-oriented Enterprise Company C

C is a thermal insulation material manufacturer focusing on overseas markets, and its products are mainly sold to Europe and North America. Since these markets have strict requirements on product quality and environmental performance, Company C has chosen BDMAEE as its core catalyst since its inception. Through cooperation with internationally renowned testing agencies, Company C has established a complete quality control system to ensure that the performance of each batch of products can meet the strict standard requirements.

Table 3 shows the performance of Company C products under different market conditions:

Market Area	Density (kg/m³)	Thermal conductivity coefficient (W/m·K)	Compressive strength (kPa)
Europe	35±2	0.021±0.001	160±10
North America	40±2	0.022±0.001	180±10
Southeast Asia	30±2	0.020±0.001	140±10

These three cases fully prove that BDMAEE can play an outstanding role in manufacturing enterprises of different sizes and positions. Whether it is a small enterprise that pursues cost-effectiveness or a large group that focuses on technological innovation, it can achieve dual improvements in production efficiency and product quality through the rational use of BDMAEE.

BDMAEE’s key technical parameters in the production of building exterior wall insulation boards

In the production process of building exterior wall insulation boards, the use of BDMAEE requires strict control of multiple key parameters to ensure that the performance of the final product is excellent. These parameters mainly include the addition amount, reaction temperature, stirring time and mixing ratio, etc. Through precise control of these parameters, key performance indicators such as the density, thermal conductivity and mechanical strength of the foam can be effectively adjusted.

Add volume control

The amount of BDMAEE added is one of the important factors affecting foam performance. Generally speaking, the recommended amount is 0.5% to 1.5% by weight of the polyol. The specific amount of addition needs to be adjusted according to the density and thermal conductivity requirements of the target product. Table 4 lists the recommended amount of BDMAEE added to different density insulation boards:

Target density (kg/m³)	BDMAEE addition amount (%)	Thermal conductivity coefficient (W/m·K)
25	0.5	0.020
35	0.8	0.021
45	1.0	0.022
55	1.2	0.023

Overage addition will lead to low foam density and insufficient mechanical strength; while insufficient addition may cause uneven bubble cells and affect insulation performance. Therefore, in actual production, it is necessary to determine the optimal amount of addition through experiments and establish a corresponding online monitoring system.

Reaction temperature control

The catalytic activity of BDMAEE is closely related to the reaction temperature. The ideal operating temperature range is usually between 40-60°C. In this temperature range, BDMAEE can fully exert its catalytic performance while maintaining good stability. Studies have shown that when the reaction temperature is lower than 35℃, the foaming speed of the foam is significantly slowed down; when the temperature exceeds 65℃, it may cause excessive expansion of the foam and bursting of the bubble cells.

Agitation time and mixing ratio

Full mixing of raw materials is the key to ensuring uniformity of foam quality. The recommended low stirring time is 20 seconds, no more than 60 seconds. A short stirring time will lead to uneven mixing of raw materials and affecting the foam structure; while an excessively long stirring time may introduce too much air, resulting in a high foam density.

The mixing ratio of raw materials is also important. The generally recommended ratio of isocyanate to polyol is 1:1.1-1:1.3 (calculated according to the NCO/OH ratio). Within this range, the physical properties of the foam can be finely adjusted by adjusting the amount of BDMAEE added.

Online monitoring and feedback control

To ensure the stability of the production process, modern production lines are usually equipped with advanced online monitoring systems. These systems can monitor key indicators such as the density, thermal conductivity and mechanical strength of the foam in real time, and automatically adjust the amount of BDMAEE and other process parameters based on the monitoring results. This closed-loop control system not only improves production efficiency, but also significantly improves the consistency of product quality.

Comparison of performance of BDMAEE and traditional catalysts

In the field of production of building exterior wall insulation panels, BDMAEE has shown significant advantages compared with traditional catalysts. The following is a detailed comparison and analysis from three aspects: catalytic efficiency, product performance and economy.

Comparison of catalytic efficiency

Traditional catalysts such as triethylenediamine (TEDA) have a relatively low catalytic efficiency, although they dominate the early production of rigid polyurethane foams. Research shows that TEDA requires higher addition amounts under the same conditions to achieve the same catalytic effect. In contrast, BDMAEE has a catalytic efficiency of about 30%-40%, mainly because its unique molecular structure allows it to participate more effectively in the reaction system.

Table 5 shows the comparison of catalytic efficiency of the two catalysts under typical reaction conditions:

parameter name	TEDA (traditional catalyst)	BDMAEE (New Catalyst)	Improvement
Additional amount (%)	1.5	1.0	-33.3%
Reaction time (s)	30	20	-33.3%
Foam homogeneity (%)	85	95	+11.8%

Product Performance Comparison

In terms of final product performance, BDMAEE’s advantages are more obvious. The thermal conductivity of the insulation board produced by BDMAEE can be stably controlled at around 0.021W/(m·K), while products using traditional catalysts can usually only reach around 0.023W/(m·K). In addition, BDMAEE can significantly improve the mechanical properties of the foam, increasing the compressive strength of the product by about 20%.

Table 6 summarizes the differences in product performance between the two catalysts:

Performance metrics	TEDA product performance	BDMAEE product performance	Improvement
Thermal conductivity coefficient (W/m·K)	0.023	0.021	-8.7%
Compressive Strength (kPa)	140	168	+20%
Dimensional stability (%)	92	96	+4.3%

Comparison of economy

From an economic point of view, although BDMAEE is slightly higher than conventional catalysts, the overall cost of use is actually lower due to its smaller amount and higher productivity. According to the actual calculation data of many companies, after using BDMAEE, the catalyst cost per square meter of insulation board can be reduced by about 15%-20%.

In addition, BDMAEE can also bring significant indirect economic benefits. Because it can effectively improve product qualification rate and production efficiency, enterprises can do without increasing equipment investmentTo achieve capacity expansion. At the same time, better product performance will also help companies explore the high-end market and obtain higher profit margins.

To sum up, BDMAEE has shown obvious advantages in catalytic efficiency, product performance and economy, and has become an irreplaceable core raw material in the production of modern building exterior wall insulation boards.

Future development trend of BDMAEE in the production of building exterior wall insulation boards

With the continuous improvement of building energy-saving standards and the in-depth development of green and environmental protection concepts, BDMAEE’s application prospects in the production of building exterior wall insulation panels are becoming more and more broad. In the next few years, this field is expected to usher in the following important development directions:

Functional Modification and Customized Development

At present, scientific researchers are actively exploring the functional modification technology of BDMAEE. The catalytic properties can be further optimized by introducing specific functional groups or compounding other additives. For example, by introducing hydrophobic groups, the stability of the catalyst in a humid environment can be improved; while the addition of antioxidant components can extend its service life under high temperature conditions. In addition, customized BDMAEE products for different application scenarios will become a new growth point, especially for the high-end market with ultra-low thermal conductivity requirements.

Intelligent application and digital management

With the in-depth promotion of the concept of Industry 4.0, the application of BDMAEE will be more intelligent. Future production lines will be equipped with advanced online monitoring systems and intelligent control systems, which can automatically adjust the amount of catalyst addition and reaction conditions based on real-time data. This intelligent application not only improves production efficiency, but also ensures consistency in product quality. At the same time, a digital management system based on big data analysis will help enterprises achieve more accurate process optimization and cost control.

Environmental performance improvement and sustainable development

In the context of increasing environmental protection pressure, BDMAEE’s environmental protection performance will become the focus of research and development. By improving the synthesis process and optimizing the formulation, its volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions can be further reduced. It is expected that more low-odor, low-toxic, biodegradable new BDMAEE products will appear on the market in the next few years. These products can not only meet the increasingly stringent environmental protection regulations, but also help companies occupy a more favorable position in market competition.

Expansion of new application fields

In addition to the traditional field of building exterior wall insulation, the application of BDMAEE is extending to more emerging fields. For example, in the fields of cold chain logistics, aerospace, new energy vehicles, the demand for high-performance insulation materials is growing, which provides BDMAEE with a broad market space. Especially with the advancement of the carbon neutrality goal, lightweight and high insulation properties materials will be used in more fields, and the importance of BDMAEE as a key raw material will be further highlighted.

Conclusion: BDMAEE leads a new era of building insulation materials

Looking through the whole text, we can clearly see the unique value and far-reaching influence of BDMAEE in the production of building exterior wall insulation panels. From its initial technological breakthrough to its widespread application today, BDMAEE has completely changed the production model of traditional insulation materials with its excellent catalytic performance and stable quality performance. It not only significantly improves production efficiency and product quality, but also makes positive contributions to energy conservation and environmental protection, truly achieving a win-win situation between economic and social benefits.

Looking forward, the development direction of BDMAEE is even more exciting. With the continuous advancement of functional modification technology, the in-depth promotion of intelligent applications, and the continuous improvement of environmental protection performance, BDMAEE will surely show its unique charm in more fields. Especially in the context of global energy conservation and emission reduction, BDMAEE, as the core raw material of high-performance insulation materials, will continue to lead the industry’s development trend and contribute to the construction of green buildings and the realization of sustainable development goals.

As a classic old song sang: “Time flows, only quality lasts forever.” BDMAEE is such an excellent product that can stand the test of time. It uses practical actions to interpret what a true “quality choice”. I believe that in the near future, BDMAEE will continue to write its glorious chapters, bringing more surprises and possibilities to the building insulation materials industry.

References

Zhang Weiming, Li Jianguo. Research progress of polyurethane hard bubble catalyst[J]. Chemical Industry Progress, 2018(10): 34-41.
Smith J, Johnson L. Advances in Polyurethane Foam Catalysts[M]. Springer, 2019.
Wang Xiaofeng, Liu Zhigang. Production technology of rigid polyurethane foam plastics [M]. Chemical Industry Press, 2020.
Chen X, Li Y. Application of BDMAEE in Building Insulation Materials[C]// International Conference on Polymer Science and Engineering. 2021.
Anderson K, et al. Environmental Impact Assessment of Polyurethane Foam Production[J]. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2022, 312: 127890.

Tags：Application of continuous production line for bis(dimethylaminoethyl) ether foaming catalyst BDMAEE building exterior wall insulation board

Prev： Bis(dimethylaminoethyl) ether foaming catalyst BDMAEE closed cell ratio control technology for automotive interior parts
Next： Thermal cycle stability technology of bis(dimethylaminopropyl)isopropylamine for thermal insulation layer of industrial equipment