Learning Some Basic Facts About Epoxy

Over the years, epoxy has been put to diverse industrial uses across the globe

. It is basically a copolymer that is created when an epoxide resin reacts with a polyamine hardener. The resin and the hardener are also generally referred to as the compound and the activator which when mixed in the right proportions produce epoxy, that is put to diverse uses for industrial as well as consumer applications. The strong adhesive properties of epoxy result from the covalent bond formed by the reaction of amine groups with the epoxide groups. This causes the resulting polymer to become deeply cross linked, making it extremely rigid and strong.

The chemical structure of epoxy is such that it can be produced in several variations each having a wide range of properties. Often referred to by the name of magic glue, these copolymers have incredible adhesive properties, besides showing great resistance to chemicals and heat. That is why they are so widely used in industrial flooring. In addition, epoxies, in general, have more than average mechanical and electrical insulating properties.

However, the thing that makes epoxy so popular is the fact that several of their properties can be modified and a good example of this is the availability of silver-filled epoxies that act as good conductors of electricity, despite the fact that epoxies are conventionally electrically insulated. The diverse properties of these resins and hardeners make them perfect for use in a wide variety of products including adhesives, paints and coatings, industrial tools and flooring, diverse electrical and electronic systems, consumer products, marine applications, art and even aerospace industry.

The commercial value of epoxy can be estimated from the fact that until 2006, the epoxy industry worldwide held a value of approximately US$15 billion, with just North America accounting for more than US$5 billion. Even though the epoxy market suffered a major setback and slumped down to US$15.8 billion in 2009, owning to the global economic crisis, it is again showing a positive growth and is expected to rise to the level of US$21.35 by 2015. China holds a major stake in the manufacturing of this copolymer with nearly 50-100 manufacturers based in the country, which amount to almost 30% of the total manufacturers.

by: Royce International

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