Cyclic Polyamine-Epoxy Adducts for Coating Gloss and VOC Reduction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing amine-epoxy adducts used as curing agents in thermosetting epoxy resin compositions often suffer from incompatibility with liquid epoxy resins, leading to issues like blushing, blooming, and low gloss in coatings, and have limitations in reactivity and VOC emissions.
Innovation Solution
The development of cyclic polyamine-epoxy adducts, such as those formed with bis(2-(piperazin-1-yl)ethyl)amine (BPEA), which exhibit higher reactivity and compatibility with both aliphatic and aromatic epoxy resins, reducing VOC emissions and minimizing blush and bloom formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If ethyleneamines are used as curing agents for epoxy resins, then the curing reaction can proceed, but the coating film exhibits low gloss and may have a greasy or chalky feel due to incompatibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an adduct as an intermediary substance between the ethyleneamine curing agent and the liquid epoxy resin. The adduct is formed by reacting ethyleneamine with a high molecular weight epoxy resin, creating a compatible intermediate that can then react with the liquid epoxy resin to form a high gloss coating film without the incompatibility issues of direct ethyleneamine-epoxy resin combination.
2Ease of manufacture
If ethyleneamines are used as curing agents, then curing can occur, but blushing appears on the coating surface due to reactivity with atmospheric water and carbon dioxide
Solution Approach 1:
The adduct serves as a mediator that reduces the reactivity of ethyleneamine with atmospheric moisture and carbon dioxide. By pre-reacting the ethyleneamine with high molecular weight epoxy resin to form the adduct, the harmful side reactions that cause blushing are minimized while retaining the essential curing capability.
3Stability of the object's composition
If conventional amine-epoxy adducts are used as curing agents, then compatibility with epoxy resins is improved, but VOC emissions increase and boiling point remains low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the molecular weight parameter of the epoxy resin component used in adduct formation. By using high molecular weight epoxy resin (greater than 1,000 g/mol) instead of conventional lower molecular weight epoxy resins, the resulting adduct has higher boiling point and lower VOC emissions while maintaining compatibility with liquid epoxy resins.
4Ease of manufacture
If ethyleneamines are combined with aliphatic epoxy resins, then a curable composition can be formed, but compatibility is poor and uniform coating cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs the adduct as an intermediary that bridges the incompatibility between ethyleneamines and aliphatic epoxy resins. The adduct, formed from ethyleneamine and high molecular weight epoxy resin, serves as a compatible curing agent that can effectively cure aliphatic epoxy resins while maintaining formulation uniformity and coating quality.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The cyclic polyamine-epoxy adducts provide a highly reactive and compatible curing agent that results in coatings with improved gloss retention, weathering properties, and reduced chalking and fading, suitable for various applications including coatings and civil engineering.
Implementation Method 1
an adduct including a reaction product of (a) at least one cyclic polyamine compound; and (b) at least one epoxy resin compound
Data Source
AI summary
An adduct including a reaction product of (a) at least one cyclic polyamine compound; and (b) at least one epoxy resin compound; a curable composition including (i) the above adduct, and (ii) at least one thermosetting epoxy resin compound; and a thermoset prepared from the above curable composition.