Characteristics and development trend of various curing agents

preface

In the coating industry, curing agent is an indispensable element. It triggers the cross-linking reaction in the linear resin to solidify the coating into a film. This process not only gives the coating excellent properties, such as improving the high temperature resistance, water resistance, solvent resistance, abrasion resistance and scratch resistance of the paint film, but also plays a key role in different application scenarios.

Curing agent classification and characteristics

In the field of coatings, epoxy resin is a common resin type, and curing agents are mainly divided into four categories: single polyamines, mixed polyamines, modified polyamines and eutectic mixed polyamines.

1. Single polyamine

Aliphatic amines, alicyclic amines, aromatic amines and polyamides*: Among them, aliphatic amines and polyamides can undergo curing reactions at room temperature, while aromatic amine curing agents require heating. The cured products of aromatic amine curing agents generally have higher temperature resistance, mechanical strength and corrosion resistance. However, aliphatic amine curing agents can be more toxic and irritating, while aromatic amine curing agents require higher curing temperatures.

2. Modified polyamines

Through chemical modification, a latent curing agent* is obtained: a curing agent with a long pot life at room temperature. For example, the modification of curing agents such as diethylene triamine and triethylene tetraamine reduces the curing activity and improves storage stability.

3. Eutectic mixed polyamines

Long-term storage at room temperature, triggering the curing process upon heating*: For scenarios requiring special applications, eutectic curing agents offer unique advantages.

4. Latent curing agent

Able to maintain a long pot life at room temperature, but trigger a curing reaction quickly when heated*: It has great potential in certain applications, extending the shelf life of products while providing rapid curing.

The importance of hardeners

Curing agents play a key role in the coatings industry. By choosing the right hardener, manufacturers can tailor the properties of the paint film to meet specific needs and adapt to different application scenarios. With the advancement of science and technology and the pursuit of environmental protection performance, the coating industry will continue to devote itself to the research and development of new curing agents to provide the market with higher performance coating products.

Development Trend of Curing Agents

1. Improvement of environmental performance

With the increasing awareness of environmental protection, the coating industry will pay more attention to the environmental protection performance of curing agents. The development of low-toxicity and low-irritation curing agents will become a future development trend.

2. Longer shelf life

Research on latent curing agents will continue to be in-depth to meet the demand for longer product storage periods.

3. Multifunctional curing agent

The new curing agent is expected to have more functions, not only to achieve curing, but also to have multiple properties such as antibacterial, wear-resistant, and weather-resistant to meet the ever-escalating market demand.

4. Customized design

For the needs of different coating application fields, the design of curing agents will be more customized to provide more precise performance matching.

Conclusion

Hardeners are the magic element in the coatings industry, providing coatings with a wealth of properties and application possibilities. With the development of science and technology, we can expect to see the emergence of more advanced and environmentally friendly curing agents, pushing the coating industry forward. In the future, coating products will better meet the needs of various industries for high performance and environmental protection, becoming the choice for decoration and protection.