Octadecylamine (Stearylamine)
The C18 saturated fatty amine supplied by Chelora Chemicals — also known as stearylamine, the standard filming amine for boiler and steam-condensate corrosion control and a widely used asphalt and textile additive — exported from Indonesia as flake or molten solid with full batch documentation on every shipment.
What Octadecylamine (Stearylamine) is, and why buyers source it
A working overview of the compound's chemistry, its role as a long-chain filming amine, and the grades Chelora Chemicals keeps in regular supply.
Octadecylamine is a straight-chain, eighteen-carbon (C18) primary fatty amine: a single reactive amine head attached to a long, fully saturated stearyl tail. The long hydrophobic chain packs tightly and orients predictably on polar surfaces, which is exactly the behaviour exploited in its main industrial use as a protective filming agent.
At room temperature it is a white, waxy solid or flake, melting at a moderate temperature into a low-viscosity liquid that is handled molten in bulk dosing systems. It is essentially insoluble in water as the free amine but disperses well as a fine emulsion, and forms water-soluble salts with mineral and organic acids for aqueous formulation.
Where it fits in the synthesis chain
Octadecylamine's dominant industrial use is as a volatile-adjacent filming corrosion inhibitor in boiler feedwater and steam-condensate systems, where it forms a thin, continuous hydrophobic film on metal surfaces that excludes moisture and carbonic acid. It is also used as an anti-stripping additive and emulsifier in asphalt and bitumen, as a textile fabric-softener raw material, and as an anti-caking/anti-static agent for fertilisers and powders.
Grades we supply
Chelora Chemicals offers Octadecylamine in technical grade (≈90% assay, distilled fatty-amine cut) for boiler-water treatment and asphalt-additive use, and high-purity grade (95%+) for textile-softener and specialty-formulation applications sensitive to colour and chain-length distribution. Both grades are supplied with a batch-wise certificate of analysis.
How Octadecylamine (Stearylamine) is made
An overview of the production route for orientation purposes. Our manufacturing partners' own process parameters and in-process controls are proprietary and are not disclosed beyond what is needed to interpret the certificate of analysis.
Octadecylamine is manufactured from stearic acid, a dominant fatty acid recovered from hydrogenated tallow or vegetable oil (e.g. palm stearin). Stearic acid is first reacted with ammonia (ammoniation) and dehydrated to give stearonitrile (octadecanenitrile), which is then catalytically hydrogenated over a nickel- or cobalt-based catalyst, typically with excess ammonia present to favour the primary amine over secondary and tertiary by-products: stearic acid → stearonitrile → octadecylamine.
Why the nitrile-hydrogenation route from natural fatty acid is standard
Hydrogenated tallow and palm-based stearic acid are produced at large scale as oleochemical feedstocks, making the ammoniation-dehydration-hydrogenation sequence a well-established, cost-effective route used across the whole family of natural-chain fatty amines, including octadecylamine and its unsaturated relative oleylamine.
Industries and processes that use it
Octadecylamine is consumed overwhelmingly by boiler-water and steam-condensate corrosion treatment, with significant secondary demand from asphalt and textile-additive manufacture. The fields below account for most of the demand we see through our export desk.
Boiler & Condensate Filming Corrosion Inhibitor
Forms a thin, continuous hydrophobic film on metal surfaces in boiler and steam-condensate systems, excluding moisture and carbonic acid.
Asphalt Anti-Stripping Additive
Improves bitumen-to-aggregate adhesion in asphalt paving mixes, reducing moisture-induced stripping and pavement failure.
Textile Fabric-Softener Raw Material
A key fatty-amine feedstock for quaternary ammonium softening agents used in textile and laundry-care formulations.
Anti-Caking & Anti-Static Agent
Used as a surface-treatment additive to reduce caking and static buildup in fertilisers and fine powders.
How the molecule is typically carried forward
The single reactive primary amine head, attached to a long, tightly packing hydrophobic tail, governs almost all of this molecule's further reaction chemistry. Reaction classes below account for most of the ways Octadecylamine is converted into a finished product or intermediate.
Film Formation on Metal Surfaces
The polar amine head adsorbs onto metal oxide surfaces while the long hydrophobic tail orients outward, building a continuous water-excluding film — the basis of its use as a filming corrosion inhibitor.
Salt/Emulsion Formation
Protonation with acetic or other acids converts the free amine into a water-dispersible salt suitable for aqueous boiler-dosing formulations.
Quaternisation
Reacts with an alkylating agent to form a permanently cationic quaternary ammonium surfactant used in fabric-softener formulations.
Amide/Imidazoline Formation
Condenses with fatty acids to build amide and imidazoline surfactants used in corrosion-inhibitor and specialty formulation chemistry.
Octadecylamine (Stearylamine) against other amines we supply
Buyers sourcing Octadecylamine for corrosion control or asphalt/textile additive chemistry often need a related fatty amine with a shorter or unsaturated chain. A quick reference to what else is on our regular supply list.
| Product | CAS Number | Category | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Octadecylamine (Stearylamine) | 124-30-1 | C18 saturated fatty amine | The product on this page — the standard filming amine for boiler corrosion control. |
| Dodecylamine (Laurylamine) | 124-22-1 | C12 saturated fatty amine | A related, shorter-chain fatty amine used in mineral flotation — see its product page. |
| Oleylamine | 112-90-3 | C18 unsaturated fatty amine | A related C18 fatty amine with a double bond, liquid at room temperature — see its product page. |
| Hexamethylenediamine | 124-09-4 | Six-carbon diamine | A related aliphatic diamine and the nylon 66 co-monomer — see its product page. |
Exact physical constants and purity specifications are confirmed per batch on the certificate of analysis — treat the notes above as a sourcing guide, not a specification sheet, for products other than Octadecylamine (Stearylamine).
Safety classification at a glance
Based on GHS classification as commonly listed for this substance. This is a summary for orientation only — always work from the current safety data sheet supplied with your specific batch.
Harmful if swallowed.
Causes skin irritation.
Causes serious eye damage.
Very toxic to aquatic life with long-lasting effects.
Gloves, chemical splash goggles or a face shield, and suitable respiratory protection are the baseline for routine handling.
Handled molten above its melting point in bulk dosing systems; standard hot-material handling precautions apply.
Avoid any discharge to drains or waterways given its aquatic toxicity classification.
Danger — GHS05 corrosive and GHS09 environmental pictograms apply.
This compound causes serious eye damage and skin irritation, is harmful if swallowed, and is very toxic to aquatic life with long-lasting effects. It must be handled with gloves, splash-proof eye protection and suitable respiratory protection, particularly when molten, and must never be allowed to reach drains or waterways. Full first-aid, storage, spill and PPE guidance is in the MSDS issued with every shipment, and should be read in full before this material is handled.
Keeping it on spec between delivery and use
General storage guidance for this grade. Site-specific storage rules, segregation requirements and re-test intervals should follow your own EHS procedures and the MSDS issued with your batch.
Store in a cool, dry area away from strong oxidizing agents and strong acids, in tightly closed original packaging. If handled molten, maintain even heating to avoid localised degradation and colour development. If a batch is held past its retest date, re-check amine value, colour and melting point before use.
How it ships from Indonesia
Standard packing and export terms for this product. Confirm exact figures against your order — they vary slightly by destination and quantity.
What travels with every batch
Specification is agreed before the purchase order, not discovered on arrival. Every shipment of Octadecylamine (Stearylamine) leaves with a documented, checkable paper trail.
Certificate of Analysis
Batch-wise assay (by titration/GC), colour and relevant physical constants, issued against the agreed specification so your QC team can check it, not just file it.
Safety Data Sheet
GHS-format SDS in English covering hazard classification, handling, storage, first-aid and spill response for the exact grade of Octadecylamine (Stearylamine) shipped.
Technical Data Sheet
Reference physical and chemical properties, recommended storage and typical applications, for internal circulation to your process or R&D teams.
Certificate of Origin
Confirms Indonesian origin for customs clearance and any preferential-duty claim at your destination port.
Dangerous Goods Declaration
UN packing group, classification and shipper's declaration prepared ahead of loading so documentation never holds up customs.
Third-Party Inspection
Independent pre-shipment inspection and re-sampling can be arranged on request, at your cost, for buyers who require it as a matter of policy.
Frequently asked questions
What buyers most often ask our sales desk about this grade.
01What is Octadecylamine used for?+
02What is the CAS number of Octadecylamine?+
03How is Octadecylamine made?+
04What purity grades does Chelora Chemicals supply?+
05Is Octadecylamine hazardous?+
06Why is Octadecylamine preferred for boiler corrosion control over shorter-chain amines?+
07What packing options are available?+
08How long does delivery take?+
09Can I get a sample before placing a bulk order?+
10Do you supply other fatty amines as well?+
Need Octadecylamine (Stearylamine) on spec, on time?
Send us your required purity, quantity, packing preference and destination port. Our desk quotes most enquiries within one working day.