Accelerator 400 is a superior epoxy curing promoter designed for use with amine hardeners. The product was developed specifically for use with JEFFAMINE® curing agents, but it is compatible with most amines and may be used in most amine-cured epoxy systems.

Performance Data

Reactivity
Gel time data presented in Figures 1-3 were obtained using a standard DGEBA resin (EEW = 187) with JEFFAMINE® D-230 amine hardener using a 200-gram mass at a one-to-one amine hydrogen to epoxide stoichiometry.

It is evident from Figure 1 that using accelerator levels greater than five phr provides incrementally less reduction of the gel time.

Figure 2 illustrates how maximum exotherm temperatures increase as gel times decrease from addition of greater amounts of accelerator.

Figure 2: Maximum exotherm temperatures increase as gel times decrease from addition of greater amounts of accelerator.

Properties

For verification that Accelerator 400 would provide equivalent mechanical performance when used in place of Accelerator 399, castings of a standard DGEBA type resin and JEFFAMINE® D-230 amine were prepared using 5 phr of each accelerator at a one-to-one stoichiometry of amine hydrogen to epoxide. Properties following an elevated temperature cure are shown in Table 1 and following a room temperature cure, in Table 2. As shown in both tables, no significant differences were observed in mechanical properties.

Table 1: Properties after Elevated Temperature Cure: 3 hours at 80°C + 2 hours at 125°C

Table 2: Properties after Room Temperature Cure: 7 days at Room Temperature