Latent curing agent

Lin, S. C., "Novel Cross-linking System - N-Cyanourea and Its Adducts as Latent Curing Agent for Epoxy Resins," U.S. Patent 4 379 728, 1983. 

Novel, toughened one-component epoxy structural adhesives based on epoxy-terminated polyurethane prepolymer incorporating an oxolidone structure were developed to provide improved toughness, fracture resistance and adhesive properties with good chemical and moisture resistance.21 The hybrid resin cures with a standard latent curing agent/accelerator. 

Whereas most room temperature curing epoxy adhesives are cured with aliphatic amines, polyamides, or amidoamines, most elevated-temperature curing epoxy adhesives are cured with aromatic amines, modified aliphatic amines, alcoholic and phenolic hydroxyls, acid anhydrides, Lewis acids, and a host of other curatives. Latent curing agents, such as dicyan-diamide and imidazoles, are typically used in one-component epoxy adhesives systems. 

Latent curing agents such as dicyandiamide are dissolved into solvent solutions of solid epoxy resins. This is then followed by evaporation of the solvent. 

Other latent curing agents that are used in solid adhesives are dihydrazides and BF3-MEA complexes. These compositions are also stable at room temperature but cure when heated. Solid anhydrides can be used in one-component powder blends (e.g., 10 pph of trimellitic anhydride accelerated with 0.5 pph of 2-methylimidazole). Solid systems with aromatic diamines are prepared by comelting the solid epoxy with the amine. Typically 30 pph of curing agent is used.1... 

Similar information is presented in Table 14.5 for starting adhesive formulations made from an epoxy resin emulsion and dicyandiamide latent curing agent. This adhesive has exceptionally good water resistance when cured. The adhesive was applied to the indicated substrates in a manner similar to that described above, and it was cured for 3 min at 65°C followed by 10 min at 175°C. 

Chelating agents such as triethanolamine borate also behave as latent catalysts at elevated temperatures. Other boron-containing compounds, cadmium or zinc bromide dieth-ylenetriamine, and salts of aluminum acetoacetic ester have also been suggested as curing agents for high-temperature epoxy adhesives. 

Adhesives which are meant to cure at temperatures of 120 or 171°C require curatives which are latent at room temperature, but react quickly at the cure temperatures. Dicyanodiamide [461-58-5], (TH INI is one such latent curative for epoxy resins. It is insoluble in the epoxy at room temperature but rapidly solubilizes at elevated temperatures. Other latent curatives for 171°C are complexes of imidazoles with transition metals, complexes of Lewis acids (eg, boron trifluoride and amines), and diaminodiphenylsulfone, which is also used as a curing agent in high performance composites. For materials which cure at lower temperatures (120°C), these curing agents can be made more soluble by alkylation of dicyanodiamide. Other materials providing latency at room temperature but rapid cure at 120°C are the blocked isocyanates, such as the reaction products of toluene diisocyanate and amines. At 120°C the blocked isocyanate decomposes to regenerate the isocyanate and liberate an amine which can initiate polymerization of the epoxy resin. Materials such as Monuron can also be used to accelerate the cure of dicyanodiamide so that it takes place at 120°C. 

The novolac resins are prepared by using acidic catalysts and a deficiency of formaldehyde. Because this type of resin is less reactive, cross-linking is accomplished by the addition of a curing agent or catalyst. The most common is hexamethylenetetramine or "hexa." The curing agent serves as a latent source of formaldehyde. As in the case of the resoles, volatiles are emitted during the cure. The chemistry of the phenolic resin is old but complex and well documented in the literature (10). 

Typically, a low molecular weight solid epoxy resin and latent curing agent, such as dicyandiamide dissolved in an appropriate solvent, are widely used in dry lay-up formulations for electrical laminates for computers, aerospace applications, and communications equipment. Wet lay-up systems are almost exclusively based on low-viscosity resins cured with aliphatic amines. These ambient cure resin systems are used primarily for manufacture of large chemical-resistant tanks, ducting, and scrubbers. Filament winding is used... 

Latent curing agent (Fujicure FXE-1000 from Fuji Kasei) 1... 

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