The present invention relates to a process for preparing an ethanolamine having an improved colour quality. The process comprises contacting ethanolamine with an activated carbon free of one or more metals chosen from Re, Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt and Ag. The contacting can be carried out at a temperature of from 10 to 200°C, and during.a period sufficient to reduce the colour of the ethanolamine, in particular a period such that the colour index (as measured according to the ASTM standard D 1209) of the ethanolamine becomes equal to or less than 50 or 40 Pt/Co. The contacting can be carried out during or after the stage of preparation of the ethanolamine, preferably during or after the stage of purification of the ethanolamine. The invention also relates to a process for manufacturing a triethanolamine (TEA) having an improved colour quality, comprising a stage (i) of synthesis of the TEA by contacting ammonia with ethylene oxide in aqueous medium, a stage (ii) of separation of a crude TEA from the aqueous medium and a stage (iii) of purification of the TEA by distillation. The process in addition comprises contacting the crude or purified TEA with an activated carbon free of one or more metals chosen from Re, Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt and Ag, after the separation stage (ii), or during and after the purification stage (iii). The advantage of the claimed invention is to provide an ethanolamine which has an improved colour quality far more resistant over time, and which is obtained in the absence of any additive or metal catalyst known to contaminate the ethanolamine.
本发明涉及一种制备具有改进色彩质量的
乙醇胺的方法。该方法包括将
乙醇胺与不含来自Re、Ru、Rh、Pd、Os、Ir、Pt和Ag中的一种或多种
金属的
活性炭接触。接触可以在10至200°C的温度下进行,且在足以减少
乙醇胺的色彩的时间内进行,特别是使
乙醇胺的色彩指数(根据ASTM标准D 1209测量)达到等于或小于50或40 Pt/Co的时间。接触可以在制备
乙醇胺阶段期间或之后进行,最好在纯化
乙醇胺阶段期间或之后进行。该发明还涉及一种制备具有改进色彩质量的
三乙醇胺(
TEA)的方法,包括通过在
水介质中将
氨与
环氧乙烷接触合成
TEA的阶段(i),从
水介质中分离粗
TEA的阶段(ii),以及通过蒸馏纯化
TEA的阶段(iii)。该方法还包括在从分离阶段(ii)之后或在纯化阶段(iii)期间和之后,将粗
TEA或纯化
TEA与不含来自Re、Ru、Rh、Pd、Os、Ir、Pt和Ag中的一种或多种
金属的
活性炭接触。所述发明的优点在于提供一种
乙醇胺,其色彩质量在时间上更加持久,并且在没有任何已知会污染
乙醇胺的添加剂或
金属催化剂的情况下获得。