Polyethylene amine is a polymer

Polymer

A polymer is a large molecule composed of repeating structural units. These subunits are typically connected by covalent chemical bonds...

 of aziridine

Aziridine

Aziridines are organic compounds containing the aziridine functional group, a three-membered heterocycle with one amine group and two methylene groups...

 with the molecular formula (CH₂CH₂NH)_n. It is a structural analogue of polyethylene glycol

Polyethylene glycol

Polyethylene glycol is a polyether compound with many applications from industrial manufacturing to medicine. It has also been known as polyethylene oxide or polyoxyethylene , depending on its molecular weight, and under the tradename Carbowax.-Available forms:PEG, PEO, or POE refers to an...

 with -NH- in place of oxygen atoms. It is produced by the polymerization of aziridine.

Oligomeric polyethylene amines with a small number of units are used as curing

Curing (chemistry)

Curing is a term in polymer chemistry and process engineering that refers to the toughening or hardening of a polymer material by cross-linking of polymer chains, brought about by chemical additives, ultraviolet radiation, electron beam or heat...

 agents for epoxy resins. They are water-soluble. The gelling properties of higher polyethylene amines are useful for resin formulas that require high viscosity

Viscosity

Viscosity is a measure of the resistance of a fluid which is being deformed by either shear or tensile stress. In everyday terms , viscosity is "thickness" or "internal friction". Thus, water is "thin", having a lower viscosity, while honey is "thick", having a higher viscosity...

 during application and curing.

Polyethylene amine can form gel

Gel

A gel is a solid, jelly-like material that can have properties ranging from soft and weak to hard and tough. Gels are defined as a substantially dilute cross-linked system, which exhibits no flow when in the steady-state...

s. Due to the rich content of easily protonated amine groups, in acidic solutions it behaves as a polycation

Polyelectrolyte

Polyelectrolytes are polymers whose repeating units bear an electrolyte group. These groups will dissociate in aqueous solutions , making the polymers charged. Polyelectrolyte properties are thus similar to both electrolytes and polymers , and are sometimes called polysalts. Like salts, their...

.

Polyethylene amine may have applications as a component of ion exchange resin

Ion exchange resin

An ion-exchange resin or ion-exchange polymer is an insoluble matrix normally in the form of small beads, usually white or yellowish, fabricated from an organic polymer substrate. The material has highly developed structure of pores on the surface of which are sites with easily trapped and...

s.

High selectivity semipermeable membranes, permeable for carbon dioxide

Carbon dioxide

Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom...

 and retaining oxygen

Oxygen

Oxygen is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς and -γενής , because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition...

, can be made from this material as well. These are important for life support systems. http://www.dsls.usra.edu/meetings/bio2001/pdf/EVAcomplete.pdf

See also

• Ethylene diamine
  Ethylene diamine
  Ethylenediamine is the organic compound with the formula C2H42. This colorless liquid with an ammonia-like odor is a strongly basic amine. The liquid fumes upon contact with humid air...
  
  
• Diethylene triamine
  Diethylene triamine
  Diethylenetriamine is an organic compound with the formula HN2. This colourless hygroscopic liquid is soluble in water and polar organic solvents, but not simple hydrocarbons. Diethylenetriamine is structural analogue of diethylene glycol. Its chemical properties resemble those for ethylene...
  
  
• Triethylene tetramine
  Triethylene tetramine
  Triethylenetetramine, abbreviated TETA and trien, is an organic compound with the formula [CH2NHCH2CH2NH2]2. This oily liquid is colourless but, like many amines, assumes a yellowish color due to impurities resulting from air-oxidation. It is soluble in polar solvents and exhibits the reactivity...
  
  
• Polyethylenimine
  Polyethylenimine
  Linear polyethyleneimines contain all secondary amines, in contrast to branched PEIs which contain primary, secondary and tertiary amino groups. The linear PEIs are solids at room temperature where branched PEIs are liquids at all molecular weights. Linear polyethyleneimines are soluble in hot...