Triethylene glycol can be used as a solvent for aromatic hydrocarbon extraction, a solvent for rubber and nitrocellulose, and as an additive for diesel fuel and rocket fuel. It also has wide applications in the pharmaceutical, coating, textile, printing and dyeing, food, papermaking, cosmetics, leather tanning, photography, printing, and metal processing industries. It is commonly used as a textile auxiliary agent, solvent, plasticizer for rubber and resins, viscosity modifier for lubricating oils, and aromatic hydrocarbon extractant for reforming fluids.
Triethylene glycol is classified as slightly toxic. It does not irritate the eyes or skin, but prolonged contact can cause skin softening. The likelihood of poisoning from inhaling its vapor is low, and it is generally considered harmless under normal working conditions. Triethylene glycol is flammable, with an explosive limit (VOL%) of 0.9–9.2%.
