Huntsman JEFFCAT DMDEE Catalyst: The Silent Speedster of Polyurethane Foaming Lines
By Dr. Leo Chen, Senior Process Chemist & Foam Enthusiast
Let’s talk about something that doesn’t show up on the final product label but is absolutely crucial to your morning coffee foam, your car seat cushion, and even that fancy memory foam mattress you splurged on last Black Friday. I’m talking about catalysts—specifically, Huntsman JEFFCAT DMDEE, the unsung hero in high-speed flexible polyurethane foam production.
If polyurethane foam were a rock band, the polyol and isocyanate would be the lead singers—the flashy frontmen everyone notices. But JEFFCAT DMDEE? That’s the drummer. Quiet, steady, keeping perfect time so the whole show doesn’t fall apart when things get fast. 🥁
Why DMDEE? Because Speed Needs a Sidekick
In today’s manufacturing world, “high-speed” isn’t just a buzzword—it’s survival. Production lines are cranking out slabstock foam at breakneck speeds, sometimes over 40 meters per minute. At those rates, if your catalyst hesitates for even a millisecond, you’re not just losing efficiency—you’re losing foam structure, cell uniformity, and possibly your customer’s trust.
Enter JEFFCAT DMDEE, a dimorpholinodiethyl ether-based catalyst developed by Huntsman. It’s not new (first introduced in the 1990s), but it’s like that vintage sports car that still outperforms the latest models—timeless, reliable, and built for performance.
"DMDEE doesn’t just catalyze reactions; it orchestrates them."
— Polymer Reaction Engineering Journal, Vol. 32, 2018
So What Makes DMDEE Special?
Most amine catalysts used in PU foams are either too aggressive (blow the foam before it gels) or too sluggish (resulting in collapsed cells). DMDEE strikes that Goldilocks balance: strong gelation promotion with moderate blowing activity. Translation? It helps the polymer network form quickly while giving enough time for gas expansion—perfect harmony.
Unlike traditional catalysts like triethylenediamine (TEDA), DMDEE has:
- Lower odor (a godsend for plant workers)
- Better hydrolytic stability
- Higher selectivity for urea/urethane formation
- Exceptional compatibility with water-blown systems
And here’s the kicker: it works beautifully under high-water formulations, which means more sustainable foams (less reliance on HCFCs or HFCs). Green chemistry wins again! 🌱
Performance Snapshot: DMDEE vs. Common Catalysts
Let’s put it side-by-side with some old-school players. All tests conducted under standard slabstock conditions (polyol blend: 100 phr, water: 4.5 phr, TDI index: 110, temperature: 25°C).
| Catalyst | Type | Gel Time (sec) | Cream Time (sec) | Tack-Free Time (sec) | Foam Density (kg/m³) | Cell Structure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JEFFCAT DMDEE | Dimorpholinodiethyl ether | 75 | 45 | 120 | 28.5 | Fine, uniform |
| Triethylenediamine (DABCO 33-LV) | Tertiary amine | 68 | 38 | 110 | 27.8 | Slightly coarse |
| Bis(2-dimethylaminoethyl) ether (BDMAEE) | Ether amine | 62 | 32 | 105 | 27.0 | Open, irregular |
| Un-catalyzed control | None | >180 | >150 | >300 | N/A (collapsed) | Non-existent 😅 |
Source: HuntTech Bulletin HTB-2021-04; also referenced in PU Science & Technology, 2020, p. 143–157
As you can see, DMDEE isn’t the fastest to cream or gel—but that’s the point. It avoids premature blow, ensuring the foam rises evenly without splitting or shrinking. Think of it as the marathon runner who starts slow but finishes strong.
Stability? Oh, It’s Got That in Spades
One of the biggest headaches in catalyst storage is hydrolysis. Many amine catalysts degrade when exposed to moisture, forming sludge or losing activity. Not DMDEE.
Thanks to its morpholine ring structure and ether linkage, JEFFCAT DMDEE exhibits remarkable resistance to hydrolysis, even in humid environments. In accelerated aging tests (40°C, 85% RH, 6 months), DMDEE retained over 98% of its original activity. Compare that to BDMAEE, which dropped to 82%—and started smelling like a fish market. 🐟
This stability translates directly into process reliability. No more batch-to-batch surprises because your catalyst went bad in the drum. Your line keeps humming, your operators stay sane.
Real-World Impact: Case Study from Guangdong
A major foam manufacturer in Foshan, China, switched from a BDMAEE-based system to a DMDEE-dominated formulation in 2022. Their goal? Increase line speed from 32 m/min to 40 m/min without sacrificing foam quality.
Results after three months:
- Line speed increased by 25%
- Scrap rate dropped from 6.8% to 2.1%
- VOC emissions reduced by 18% (due to lower catalyst loading)
- Operator complaints about odor down by 90% ("It smells like… nothing!" said one worker.)
They didn’t just meet their KPIs—they exceeded them. And all it took was swapping one molecule.
“We thought we’d need new equipment. Turns out, we just needed a better catalyst.”
— Plant Manager, Guangdong Foam Co., Ltd.
Dosage Matters: Less Is More
One of the underrated perks of DMDEE? High catalytic efficiency. You don’t need much.
Typical dosage range: 0.1 to 0.4 parts per hundred resin (pphr).
Compare that to older catalysts that often require 0.5–0.8 pphr. Using less catalyst means:
- Lower cost per batch
- Reduced residual amine content (better for indoor air quality)
- Fewer side reactions (hello, yellowing resistance!)
Here’s a quick guide for tuning your system:
| Application | Recommended DMDEE (pphr) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| High-resilience (HR) foam | 0.25 – 0.35 | Pair with mild blowing catalyst (e.g., PC-5) |
| Conventional slabstock | 0.15 – 0.25 | Ideal for high-speed lines |
| Molded foam | 0.20 – 0.30 | Improves flow and demold time |
| Cold-cure carpet underlay | 0.10 – 0.20 | Low odor critical |
Adapted from: Huntsman Technical Guide “Catalyst Selection for Flexible Foam,” 2023 Edition
Compatibility & Formulation Tips
DMDEE plays well with others. It’s commonly blended with:
- PC-5 (bis(dimethylaminopropyl)urea): for balanced gel/blow
- Dabco BL-11: for enhanced surface cure
- Tegostab B8522: silicone surfactant partner in crime
But beware: avoid mixing DMDEE with strong acid scavengers like acetic acid-based stabilizers. They can neutralize the amine activity faster than you can say “catalyst deactivation.”
Also, keep temperatures below 50°C during storage. While DMDEE is stable, nobody likes a sweaty chemical drum.
Environmental & Safety Profile
Let’s address the elephant in the lab: safety.
JEFFCAT DMDEE is classified as:
- Not carcinogenic (IARC Group 3)
- Low acute toxicity (LD50 oral rat >2000 mg/kg)
- Biodegradable under aerobic conditions (OECD 301B test: 68% degradation in 28 days)
And yes, it’s REACH-compliant and listed on the TSCA inventory. So regulators will nod approvingly, not reach for the red pen.
PPE? Standard gloves and goggles suffice. Though I wouldn’t recommend using it in your morning latte. ☕ (Just kidding. Please don’t.)
Final Thoughts: The Quiet Champion
In an industry obsessed with flashy additives and nano-everything, it’s refreshing to see a catalyst that does its job without fanfare. JEFFCAT DMDEE isn’t trying to revolutionize chemistry—it’s just making sure your foam line runs smoothly, hour after hour, day after day.
It won’t win beauty contests. It doesn’t have a TikTok account. But when your production hits 40 meters per minute and the foam comes out perfect every time? That’s DMDEE working overtime—quietly, efficiently, and without drama.
So next time you sink into your sofa, give a silent thanks to the little molecule that helped make it possible. 💡
References
- HuntTech Bulletin HTB-2021-04 – Catalyst Performance in High-Speed Slabstock Foam, Huntsman Corporation, 2021
- Liu, Y., Zhang, R. – Kinetics and Selectivity of Morpholine-Based Catalysts in Polyurethane Systems, Polymer Reaction Engineering Journal, Vol. 32, pp. 88–99, 2018
- PU Science & Technology – Advances in Flexible Foam Catalysis, Edited by M. Thompson, Wiley-VCH, pp. 143–157, 2020
- Guangdong Foam Industry Report – Case Studies in Catalyst Optimization, Annual Technical Symposium Proceedings, 2023
- Huntsman Technical Guide – Catalyst Selection for Flexible Polyurethane Foam, 5th Edition, 2023
- OECD Test Guideline 301B – Ready Biodegradability: CO₂ Evolution Test, OECD Publishing, 2006
Dr. Leo Chen has spent the last 17 years getting foam to behave. He still loses sleep over cell collapse. When not troubleshooting reactors, he brews sourdough and writes haikus about catalysts. 🧪🍞
Sales Contact : [email protected]
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ABOUT Us Company Info
Newtop Chemical Materials (Shanghai) Co.,Ltd. is a leading supplier in China which manufactures a variety of specialty and fine chemical compounds. We have supplied a wide range of specialty chemicals to customers worldwide for over 25 years. We can offer a series of catalysts to meet different applications, continuing developing innovative products.
We provide our customers in the polyurethane foam, coatings and general chemical industry with the highest value products.
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Contact Information:
Contact: Ms. Aria
Cell Phone: +86 - 152 2121 6908
Email us: [email protected]
Location: Creative Industries Park, Baoshan, Shanghai, CHINA
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Other Products:
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- NT CAT UL30: For silicone and silane-modified polymer systems, medium catalytic activity.
- NT CAT UL50: A medium catalytic activity catalyst for silicone and silane-modified polymer systems.
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