4/28/2017 WhatareEpoxyResins?

Epoxy Resin

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Epoxy Resin
What is Epoxy Resin

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4/28/2017 WhatareEpoxyResins?

Epoxy Resin

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Wind turbine blades often use epoxy resin. Sean Gallup/Getty Images News/Getty Images

by Todd Johnson
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4/28/2017 WhatareEpoxyResins?
by Todd Johnson
Updated March 29, 2017 Epoxy Resin

Thetermepoxyhasbeenwidelyadaptedformanyusesbeyondfiberreinforcedpolymercomposites.Today,epoxyadhesivesaresoldin
localhardwarestores,andepoxyresinisusedasthebinderincountertopsorcoatingsforfloors.Themyriadofusesforepoxycontinues
toexpand,andvariatesofepoxiesareconstantlybeingdevelopedtofittheindustriesandproductstheyareusedin.Herearesome
thingsthatepoxyresinisusedin:

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4/28/2017 WhatareEpoxyResins?

Epoxy Resin

Generalpurposeadhesives

Asthebinderincementandmortars

Rigidfoams

Nonskidcoatings

Solidifyingsandysurfacesinoildrilling

Industrialcoatings

Pottingandencapsulatingmedia

Fiberreinforcedplastics

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Intherealmoffiberreinforcedpolymers(plastics),epoxyisusedastheresinmatrixtoefficientlyholdthefiberinplace.Itiscompatible
withallcommonreinforcingfibersincludingfiberglass,carbonfiber,aramid,andbasalt.

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4/28/2017 WhatareEpoxyResins?

COMMON PRODUCTSEpoxy
FOR FIBER
Resin REINFORCED EPOXY

FilamentWinding

Pressurevessels

Pipes

Rockethousings

Recreationalequipment

Pultrusion

Insulatorrods

Arrowshafts

CompressionMolding

Aircraftparts

Skisandsnowboards

Skateboards

Circuitboards

Prepregandautoclave

Aerospacecomponents

Bicycleframes

Hockeysticks

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VacuumInfusion

Boats
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4/28/2017 WhatareEpoxyResins?

Windturbineblades
Epoxy Resin

Obviously,therearemuchmoreFRPcompositeproductsmanufacturedfromepoxy,butmentionedwereafewproductsthatare
commonlymanufacturedwithepoxyandwithaparticularmanufacturingprocess.

Additionally,thesameepoxyresinlikelycannotbeusedforeachofthementionedprocesses.Epoxiesarefinetunedforthedesired
applicationandmanufacturingprocess.Forexample,protrusionandcompressionmoldingepoxyresinsareheatactivatedwhereasan
infusionresinmightbeanambientcureandhavealowerviscosity.

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4/28/2017 WhatareEpoxyResins?

Epoxy Resin

Whencomparedtoothertraditionalthermosetorthermoplasticresins,epoxyresinshavedistinctadvantages,including:

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Lowshrinkduringcure

Excellentmoistureresistance
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4/28/2017 WhatareEpoxyResins?

Excellentchemicalresistance
Epoxy Resin
Goodelectricalproperties

Increasedmechanicalandfatiguestrength

Impactresistant

NoVOCs

Longshelflife

CHEMISTRY

Epoxiesarethermosettingpolymerresinswheretheresinmoleculecontainsoneormoreepoxidegroups.Thechemistrycanbeadjusted
toperfectthemolecularweightorviscosityasrequiredbytheenduse.Therearetwoprimarytypesofepoxies,glycidylepoxyandnon
glycidyl.Glycidylepoxyresinscanbefurtherdefinedaseitherglycidylamine,glycidylester,orglycidylether.Nonglycidylepoxyresins
areeitheraliphaticorcycloaliphaticresins.

OneofthemostcommonglycidylepoxyresinsiscreatedusingBisphenolAandissynthesizedinareactionwithepichlorohydrin.The
otherfrequentlyusedtypeofepoxyisknownasnovolacbasedepoxyresin.

Epoxyresinsarecuredwiththeadditionofacuringagent,whichiscommonlycalledahardener.Perhapsthemostcommontypeof
curingagentisaminebased.Unlikeinpolyesterorvinylesterresinswheretheresiniscatalyzedwithasmall(13%)additionofa
catalyst,epoxyresinsusuallyrequiretheadditionofthecuringagentatamuchhigherratioofresintohardener,often1:1or2:1.

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