Diethylene Glycol is a colorless, low-volatility, low viscosity, hygroscopic liquid. Under normal conditions, diethylene glycol has no detectable odor; however, under high vapor concentrations, a slightly sweet odor may be detected.
It is completely miscible with water and many organic liquids.
Because of its higher molecular weight, diethylene glycol is considerably less volatile than ethylene glycol and differs sufficiently in that it has specialized uses. Diethylene glycol (DEG) is a valuable chemical intermediate used in the production of unsaturated polyester resins (UPR), plasticizers, acrylate and methacrylate resins and urethanes.