Cationic Reagent

2026-06-10 10:10

Overall Definition

Cationic etherifying agents are fine chemical additives containing quaternary ammonium cationic groups. They are used for cationic modification of macromolecular materials such as starch, cellulose, guar gum and polyacrylamide, endowing materials with positive charge, excellent water solubility, adsorptivity and flocculation performance. They serve as core modification raw materials for papermaking, water treatment, textile, daily chemical and other industries. The mainstream industrial products are divided into liquid CHPTAC and solid EPTAC.

I. Core Technical Parameters of Two Mainstream Products

1. CHPTAC (3-Chloro-2-hydroxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride, mainstream liquid product)

Alias: QA-188, liquid cationic etherifying agent
CAS No.: 3327-22-8
Molecular Formula / Molecular Weight: C₆H₁₅Cl₂NO / 188.1
Appearance & Specification: Pale yellow transparent liquid; industrial mainstream content: 65%~69%
Physicochemical Properties: Soluble in water and 2-propanol; chemically stable. It can rapidly transform into epoxy active structure under alkaline environment and undergo etherification reaction with hydroxyl groups of macromolecules to form stable bonds.

2. EPTAC (2,3-Epoxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride, high-activity solid product)

Alias: GTA, epoxy quaternary ammonium salt, solid cationic etherifying agent
CAS No.: 3033-77-0
Molecular Formula / Molecular Weight: C₆H₁₄ClNO / 151.5
Appearance & Specification: White crystalline powder; industrial content ≥93%; melting point: 140℃
Physicochemical Properties: Highly hygroscopic with excellent water solubility. It has inherent epoxy active groups and requires no alkaline conversion. Its reaction activity is much higher than CHPTAC, delivering superior modification efficiency.

II. Industrial Synthesis Processes

1. CHPTAC Synthesis Process (General Mass Production Process)

Step 1: Neutralization reaction. Trimethylamine reacts with hydrochloric acid at temperature ≤30℃ and pH 7.5~8 to produce trimethylamine hydrochloride.
Step 2: Addition reaction. Epichlorohydrin is added dropwise at a constant temperature of 40~45℃, followed by 2.5 to 8 hours of heat preservation reaction.
Step 3: Purification and concentration. Impurities are removed and the product is concentrated and refined to obtain qualified liquid product with content of 65%~69%.

2. EPTAC Synthesis Process

Trimethylamine reacts with epichlorohydrin in a directional manner at low temperature. The product is prepared via crystallization, drying and purification. The high-activity epoxy groups are fully retained throughout the process, featuring high purity and few by-products.

III. Action Mechanism & Core Functions

Active Groups: Fixed hydrophilic positively charged quaternary ammonium groups (–N⁺(CH₃)₃) with strong acid and alkali resistance and stable charge. There are two types of reactive groups: chlorohydrin group (CHPTAC) and epoxy group (EPTAC).
Reaction Principle: It reacts with hydroxyl groups (–OH) of various macromolecular materials via etherification reaction to form stable ether bonds, permanently grafting cationic groups onto macromolecular chains.
Core Functions: Flocculation and sedimentation, retention and drainage aid, thickening and stabilization, dye fixation, antistatic property, paper strengthening, emulsion conditioning.

IV. Industrial Application Scenarios

1. Papermaking Industry (Largest Application Field)

Used to produce cationic starch and cationic cellulose, applied as paper dry strength agent, wet strength agent, retention and drainage aid and sizing agent. It effectively improves paper strength, increases retention rate of fillers and fine fibers, and reduces concentration of papermaking white water.

2. Water Treatment Industry

Applied in the synthesis of cationic polyacrylamide and modified cationic starch. It can adsorb negatively charged suspended solids, colloids and oil contaminants in water, widely used in municipal sewage, industrial wastewater treatment and sludge dewatering.

3. Textile Printing & Dyeing Industry

Conduct cationic modification on natural fibers such as cotton and linen to change fiber charge characteristics, greatly improving fixation rate of reactive dyes and direct dyes and reducing color difference and color fading. It also acts as fabric antistatic agent and warp sizing agent.

4. Daily Chemical & Coatings Industry

Modify raw materials like guar gum and hydroxyethyl cellulose for shampoos, conditioners, lotions and other daily chemical products, providing thickening, smoothing, conditioning and emulsion stabilization effects. It also serves as dispersion stabilizer for coatings to prevent stratification and precipitation.

5. Oilfield & Other Fields

Modify and thicken oilfield drilling fluid and fracturing fluid for wellbore stabilization and fluid maintenance. It is also applied in adhesive modification, leather tanning, soil improvement and other fields.

V. Safety, Storage & Packaging Specifications

1. Safety Properties

Non-flammable and non-explosive, not classified as hazardous chemicals. Slightly irritating to skin, eyes and respiratory tract. Standard protective equipment shall be worn during operation to avoid direct contact.

2. Storage Requirements

Store in cool, dry and ventilated warehouse with sealed packaging. Prevent leakage for liquid products; strictly avoid moisture absorption and caking for solid products. Keep away from strong acids and alkalis.

3. Packaging Specifications

CHPTAC (liquid): 250 kg per plastic drum
EPTAC (solid): 20~25 kg per bag

VI. 2026 Market Overview & Specification Summary

Main Specifications: CHPTAC 65%~69% aqueous solution; EPTAC ≥93% high-purity solid powder
Market Price: CHPTAC: 12~16 RMB/kg; EPTAC: 28~35 RMB/kg
Major Production Areas: Shandong, Jiangsu and Zhejiang in China
Industry Scale: The domestic apparent consumption reached approximately 98,000 tons in 2024. The market demand is stable with rigid demand characteristics.


声明：此篇为 Shandong Yongsheng Chemical Co., Ltd. 原创文章，转载请标明出处链接： https://www.sdyshx.com/sys-nd/412.html
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