What are curing agents? What are diluents, resins and modifiers?

These include tertiary amines, which cure an epoxy resin by catalytically induced anionic polymerization; imidazoles, which offer a pot life range from a few hours to six months and are excellent accelerators for other curing agents such as dicyandiamide and anhydrides; substituted ureas, which are low-toxicity replacements for Monuron and Diuron as accelerators for dicyandiamides; and acid-blocked amine accelerators, also used primarily as accelerators.

We offer a full line of adhesion promoters for use with both PVC and acrylic based plastisol systems. Nourybond® binding agent product line is the broadest range of high-performance adhesion promoters for automotive PVC and acrylic plastisols in the world. The Nourybond® polyamidoamine and blocked isocyanate technologies provide solutions to the most demanding performance requirements.

Aliphatic amines are multifunctional amines with primary, secondary or tertiary amine functionality linked by ethylene groups. Amines are modified to improve properties such as pot life, viscosity and resin compatibility. Typical modifications include epoxy-adduction and Mannich base formation via polycondensation reactions. General properties of aliphatic amines include high reactivity, fast cure at ambient or low temperatures. Systems cured with aliphatic amines are relatively moisture insensitive with reasonable color and color retention. They exhibit good chemical resistance, particularly to solvents. For heat-cure applications, good elevated-temperature performance, very good chemical resistance, and electrical and mechanical properties. Aliphatic amines find use in civil engineering (e.g., patch repair systems, flooring), high-solids coatings, adhesives, wet lay-up laminating, small electrical encapsulation and are used to accelerate other amine curing agents.

Amidoamines are reaction products of polyethyleneamines with tall oil fatty acid.  Amidoamines can be used as sole curing agents or modified to provide improved performance. Ancamide® amidoamines exhibit differing levels of reactivity, low viscosity and very good adhesion, particularly to concrete and poorly prepared substrates and provide good cure under humid conditions. Modified amidoamines can offer faster cure speed and improved chemical or corrosion resistance. Amidoamines find use in civil engineering (e.g., concrete bonding, crack injection, flooring, tile grouts, etc.), high-solids coatings, adhesives, electrical encapsulation and wet lay-up laminating.

Boron Trifluorides, or BF₃, are amine complexes that cure an epoxy resin by catalytic cationic polymerization. They bring a range of pot lives, activation temperatures and curing times and have very high heat distortion temperatures and very good chemical resistance.

Cycloaliphatic amines are polyamines with at least one amino group attached directly to a cyclohexyl ring. Cycloaliphatic amine curing agents can be modified in various ways to allow complete cure at ambient temperature. Modifications include epoxy adduction and Mannich bases formation via a polycondensation reaction. Cycloaliphatic amines are also compatible with a range of accelerators and plasticizers allowing for optimum cure property development at both ambient and low temperature cure conditions. They exhibit good film properties (e.g., excellent gloss), are resistant to amine blush and water spotting. They have excellent color and color stability, good adhesion and can provide very good chemical resistance. For heat-cure applications, they provide a high T_g development as well as good mechanical properties. Cycloaliphatic amines find use in a broad range of applications, including solvent free, ultra low emission coatings and floorings, chemically resistant linings, adhesives, electrical encapsulation, wet lay-up laminating, and filament winding.

Latent curing agents providing greater than six months, one-package stability. They are available in several physical forms and particle sizes. Uses for DICY curatives include structural adhesives, powder coatings and structural laminates.

Reactive diluents are formulated to reduce the viscosity of typical epoxy resins for improved handling and ease of application — without significant impact in final properties. Epoxy resin modifiers are used to provide improvements in physical properties, such as toughness, flexibility, and elongation.

Polyamides are reaction products of polyethyleneamines with dimer acids which form products containing amide linkages. The polymeric backbone structure helps to impart both flexibility and toughness into the final crosslinked matrix. Ancamide® polyamides can thus provide systems with improved impact resistance and substrate adhesion. Polyamides can be modified to provide a long pot life, enhance resin compatibility, minimizing lengthy induction times and offer improved cure under adverse conditions than standard polyamides. Modified polyamides can provide faster cure speed, lower viscosity and improved chemical resistance while providing outstanding corrosion resistance.  Polyamide curing agents find use in solventborne, marine and protective coatings, adhesives, sealants, cable jointing and electrical encapsulation.

Amine curing agent technology for curing polyisocyanate resins similar to polyaspartic technology. Amicure® IC series of products are specifically designed for use with polyisocyanate resins and other standard HDI trimer based polyisocyanates. Clear and pigmented coatings based upon Amicure IC curing agents exhibit very rapid hardness development, excellent low temperature cure, very good color and UV stability and excellent surface appearance.

Our range of Anquamine® curing agents are designed to meet the great variety of industrial coating applications and requirements for concrete and metal protection. They are environmentally friendly and offer high performance and cost-effective options to end users to solve unique technical challenges in new application areas. Waterborne epoxy curing agents can be formulated with liquid resin and high molecular weight resin dispersions, providing formulators a wide range of formulating options to meet performance and cost targets. Waterborne epoxy coatings can be applied at temperatures between 40°F to 95°F and at humidity less than 85%, therefore giving end users a wide range of possible working environments and conditions. A rapid cure speed meets the industry demand for fast return-to-service coatings and improved productivity. Waterborne epoxy curing agents find use in protective and industrial concrete coatings, self-leveling floors and tile grouts, steel coatings, and anti-corrosive primers for OEM and light duty applications. Increasingly, waterborne epoxy systems are being used in protective coating applications.