What are the key industrial applications of diethanolamine beyond personal care products?

What are the key industrial applications of diethanolamine beyond personal care products?
Diethanolamine is far more than a shampoo ingredient. Its largest industrial role is as a gas treating agent: DEA solutions are widely used to absorb carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide from natural gas and flue gas streams, thanks to its reversible reaction with CO2 at moderate temperatures. It also serves as a corrosion inhibitor in drilling fluids, cutting oils, and lubricants, and as a rust preventive by forming protective films on metal surfaces. In textile processing, DEA acts as a softening and wetting agent. Additionally, it functions as a pH regulator and emulsifier across various chemical formulations. This versatility means demand is diversified across energy, metalworking, and textile sectors, insulating the market somewhat from downturns in any single downstream industry.