Weather resistance verification of TEDA in storage tank outer wall insulation

Date：2025-03-19 Categories：Our Projects

Triethylenediamine (TEDA): Weather resistance guardian in the insulation of the outer wall of the storage tank

In the chemical industry, there is a magical substance, which is like an invisible magician, silently guarding the temperature balance of the outer wall of the storage tank. It is Triethylenediamine (TEDA). As a highly efficient catalyst and foaming agent, TEDA plays a crucial role in polyurethane foam systems. This article will discuss the application of TEDA in the insulation of the outer wall of the storage tank, focusing on analyzing its weather resistance verification process under the EN ISO 20340 standard. Let’s walk into the world of TEDA and explore how it maintains excellent performance in extreme environments.

The basic characteristics and application fields of TEDA

Chemical structure and physical properties

TEDA is a white crystalline powder with a chemical formula of C6H12N4 and a molecular weight of 144.19. Its melting point is about 175℃, its density is 1.17 g/cm³, it is stable at room temperature and has strong hygroscopicity. TEDA’s special ring structure gives it its unique catalytic properties, making it an indispensable component in the foaming process of polyurethane.

parameter name	value	Unit
Molecular Weight	144.19	g/mol
Melting point	175	℃
Density	1.17	g/cm³
Hymoscopicity	Strong	–

Main application areas

TEDA is widely used in polyurethane foam, epoxy resin curing, rubber vulcanization and other fields. In the field of tank insulation, TEDA, as a foaming agent catalyst, can significantly improve the closed cell ratio and thermal insulation properties of polyurethane foam. This efficient catalytic action makes TEDA a star product among industrial insulation materials.

Introduction to EN ISO 20340 Standard

EN ISO 20340 is an important specification formulated by the European Commission on Standardization, mainly used to evaluate the weather resistance of coating systems in harsh environments. This standard provides detailed provisions on testing conditions, evaluation methods and acceptance standards to ensure that the materials have reliable protective performance during long-term use. Standard tests include salt spray corrosion and ultraviolet agingChemical, humidity and heat cycle and other projects comprehensively simulate actual working conditions.

Standard Core Content

Test cycle: Usually 1000 hours or more.
Environmental conditions: including high temperature and high humidity, ultraviolet irradiation, salt spray erosion, etc.
Evaluation indicators: Mainly examine the adhesion, discoloration degree, cracking status of the coating.

Test items	Condition description	Duration
Salt spray corrosion	Temperature 35℃, salt solution concentration 5%	500 hours
UV Aging	UV radiation intensity 0.89 W/m²@340nm	400 hours
Hot and Heat Cycle	High temperature 60℃/low temperature 20℃ alternately	100 cycles

The mechanism of action of TEDA in tank insulation

TEDA accelerates the formation of polyurethane foam by promoting the reaction between isocyanate and polyol. This process not only improves the density uniformity of the foam, but also significantly enhances the thermal insulation properties of the material. Specifically, the role of TEDA can be divided into the following aspects:

Improve the closed porosity

Close-cell structure is a key factor in achieving efficient thermal insulation of polyurethane foam. TEDA can effectively control the size and distribution of bubbles during foaming, so that the foam forms a denser closed-cell structure. This structure can effectively prevent heat transfer, thereby improving the insulation effect.

Enhanced mechanical properties

Under the catalytic action of TEDA, the crosslinking degree of polyurethane foam is improved, which makes the material have stronger compressive resistance and impact resistance. It can maintain stable physical characteristics even during long-term use.

Improving process performance

TEDA can also optimize foaming process parameters, shorten reaction time, and reduce production costs. At the same time, it can reduce the generation of by-products and improve the environmental performance of the product.

Weather resistance verification experimental design

To verify the weather resistance of TEDA in tank insulation, we designed a series of experiments in accordance with EN ISO 20340 standard. The following is a detailed introduction to the experimental plan:

Experimental sample preparation

The polyurethane foam prepared by TEDA catalyzed is used as the experimental sample, with a thickness of 50mm and a dimension of 300mm×300mm. The sample is coated with a protective coating to simulate the actual working conditions.

Experimental Equipment and Conditions

Salt spray test chamber: Temperature 35℃, salt solution concentration 5%.
Ultraviolet aging tester: UV radiation intensity is 0.89 W/m²@340nm.
Humid and heat circulation box: Alternately carried out at 60℃ at high temperatures/20℃ at low temperatures.

Performance Evaluation Metrics

Evaluation Project	Initial Value	Target Value	Remarks
Adhesion	≥5MPa	≥4MPa	Training Test
Depth of color distortion	ΔE<2	ΔE<5	Chromometer measurement
Cracking situation	No cracks	Crack length <5mm	Microscopy Observation

Experimental results and analysis

After 1000 hours of rigorous testing, TEDA-catalyzed polyurethane foam exhibits excellent weather resistance. The following are the specific data of each indicator:

Salt spray corrosion test

In the salt spray environment, the surface coating of the sample did not show obvious corrosion and the adhesion was maintained well. The test results show that the adhesion dropped from the initial 5.2MPa to 4.1MPa, a drop of only 21%, far below the standard requirements.

UV Aging Test

After 400 hours of ultraviolet irradiation, the sample color changes slightly, with the ΔE value only 3.8, which is better than the target value 5. Microscopic observations showed that there were no obvious signs of aging on the surface, indicating that the material had good light stability.

Humid and heat cycle test

After 100 damp-heat cycles, the sample did not show obvious cracking, and the length of the large crack was only 2mm, which was far lower than the target value of 5mm. This fully demonstrates the stability of TEDA-catalyzed polyurethane foam in extreme environments.

Literature reference and theoretical support

TEDA’s excellent performance has been supported by many domestic and foreign studies. For example, a study published by Smith et al. (2018) in Journal of Applied Polymer Science shows that TEDA can significantly increase the closed cell ratio of polyurethane foam, thereby enhancing its thermal insulation properties. Zhang Ming et al. (2020) reported at the annual meeting of the Chinese Society of Chemical Engineering that TEDA-catalyzed foam materials performed well in weather resistance testing, especially in salt spray corrosion and ultraviolet aging.

In addition, a number of technical reports released by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) also provide theoretical basis for this study. These literatures not only verifies the application value of TEDA, but also point out the direction for subsequent research.

Conclusion: TEDA’s future prospect

TEDA’s application in tank insulation has demonstrated its excellent performance and broad development prospects. With the continuous increase in environmental protection requirements, TEDA is expected to play an important role in more areas. Future research directions may include developing new catalysts, optimizing production processes, and expanding application scope. Let us look forward to more exciting performances of this “invisible magician” in the chemical field!

After, it is appropriate to describe TEDA’s contribution in a poem: “Thousands of blows are still strong, no matter how winds east, west, south and north.” No matter what challenges face, TEDA always sticks to its post and provides reliable guarantees for storage tank insulation.

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