Storage-stable, homogeneous mixture containing epoxide resin, curing agent and curing accelerator, and the use of the mixture for producing cured products

The invention relates to a storage-stable, homogeneous mixture of epoxide resin, curing agent for use with it and curing accelerator, that is to say, a so-called "one-component system", which can also contain fillers. The invention relates also to the use of this mixture for producing cured products.
"One-component systems" consisting of epoxide resins, curing agents and optionally curing accelerators are known. Mixtures of epoxide resin and boron fluoride amine or boron chloride amine complexes are used in practice (see G.B. Patent Specification No. 1,346,769), also mixtures of epoxide resins as free as possible from hydroxyl groups, and cyclic dicarboxylic anhydrides and basic accelerators, such as benzyldimethylamine (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,470,132) or 1-methylimidazole (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,764,584). Also known are hot-curable homogeneous mixtures of epoxide resin and cyclic urea derivatives, such as ethylene urea, as storage-stable one-component systems (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,530,095).
As an alternative to the homogeneous systems, there are also used two-phase systems, whereby a curing agent which is difficultly soluble at room temperature and optionally an accelerator are dispersed in the epoxide resin, for example dispersions of dicyandiamide on its own or together with a monoaminopyridine (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,530,093), or with a urea derivative, such as monuron (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,386,956).
Furthermore, there are also known systems in which insoluble accelerators are added as finely dispersed as possible to homogeneous epoxide resin/curing agent mixtures wherein the curing agent is a polycarboxylic acid anhydride (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,519,604).
Finally, one-phase and two-phase combinations of epoxide resins, a curing agent based on acid anhydride, polyphenol or polyamine, and a phenylurea derivative, such as monuron, as accelerator are known from the G.B. Patent Nos. 1,153,639 and 1,260,896, as well as from the U.S. Pat. No. 3,759,914 and the German Offenlegungsschrift No. 2,257,070. In the two last-mentioned publications, there is described for example the use of dicyandiamide or cyanacetamide.
The systems mentioned do have a certain degree of storage-stability, this being however inadequate for many applications of the mixtures. In the case of the poly-phase systems, there is the additional disadvantage that during storage or processing of the mixtures there can occur sedimentation of the undissolved particles of curing agent and/or accelerator, as a result of which the cured products are inhomogeneous and have poor mechanical properties.
It has now been found that a specific homogeneous mixture of epoxide resin, curing agent and accelerator gives hot-curable systems which have higher storage-stability with equally good reactivity, and which yield cured products having very suitable properties. The mixture according to the invention contains
(a) an epoxide resin having on average more than one epoxide group in the molecule,
(b) as a curing agent for the epoxide resin, a cyanoacetyl compound dissolved in the resin, which compound has a melting point (m.p.) below 120.degree. C. and corresponds to the formula I ##STR2## wherein R is the radical of a mono- to tetravalent alcohol or amine having a partial molecular weight of .ltoreq.2000, which radical is formed by removal of 1 to 4 hydroxyl hydrogen atoms or amine hydrogen atoms, and n is a number from 1 to 4 inclusive, the amount of (b) being such that to 1--CH.sub.2 --C.tbd.N group there are 3-4 epoxide groups of the component (a), and
(c) as a curing accelerator, to 100 parts by weight of epoxide resin 0.1 to 10 parts by weight of a phenylurea derivative of the formula II ##STR3## in which Z is the group ##STR4## wherein A is --CH.sub.2 -- or N, p is 0, 1 or 2, and q is 1 or 2, and R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 independently of one another are each an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and wherein R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 independently of one another are each hydrogen, halogen, alkyl having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, alkoxy having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl or phenoxy group, and R.sub.5 is hydrogen, trifluoromethyl, nitro or one of the groups ##STR5##
Suitable epoxide resins (a) are in particular the known liquid aliphatic, aromatic and heterocyclic polyepoxides, preferably those based on polyvalent phenols, such as bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2,2-propane or 4,4'-dihydroxydiphenylmethane (bisphenol A or F), on polyvalent aliphatic alcohols or aromatic mono- or polyamines, such as amonophenols. Particularly preferred are liquid unmodified epoxide resins based on bisphenol-A, for example those having an epoxide content of 5.4 equivalents per kg and a viscosity of about 10500 mPa s at 25.degree. C.
Especially suitable cyanoacetyl compounds (b) are those of the formula I wherein n is the number 1 or 2. The following compounds may for example be mentioned:
__________________________________________________________________________A: ##STR6## neopentyl glycol-bis-cyanoacetic acid ester m.p. = 37-39.degree. C.B: ##STR7## cyanoacetic acid-N-isobutylamide m.p. = 40.degree. C.C: NCCH.sub.2COO(CH.sub.2).sub.6OOCCH.sub.2 CN hexamethylene-(1,6)-bis-cyanoacetate m.p. = 71-73.degree. C.D: ##STR8## 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol-bis-cyanoacetate (cis-trans isomeric mixture), softening point (s.p.) = 85-90.degree. C.E: ##STR9## 2,2-[4,4'-di-cyanoacetoxyethoxy-phenyl]-propane;- viscosity at 80.degree. C.: 1.36 Pa s, at room temperature highly viscous.F: NCCH.sub.2 COOCH.sub.2CH.sub.3 cyanoacetic acid ethyl ester liquidG: NCCH.sub.2COOC.sub.4 H.sub.9 liquid at room temperature (RT)H: ##STR10## liquid at RTI: ##STR11## liquid at RTK: NCCH.sub.2COO(CH.sub.2).sub.2OOCCH.sub.2CN resin, liquid at RTL: NCCH.sub.2COO(CH.sub.2).sub.4OOCCH.sub.2CN m.p. = 39-42.degree. C.M: ##STR12## resin, viscosity at 80.degree. C.: 1.44 Pa sN: ##STR13## ##STR14##O: NCCH.sub.2COO(CH.sub.2CH.sub.2O).sub.4OCCH.sub.2CN liquidP: CH.sub.3CH.sub.2C(CH.sub.2 OCOCH.sub.2 CN).sub.3 resin; viscosity at 25.degree. C. ##STR15##Q: ##STR16## s.p. = 60.degree. C.;b.p..sub.13.3Pa = 101-103.degree. C. ##STR17##R: NCCH.sub.2CONHCH.sub.3 m.p. = 98-100.degree. C.S: NCCH.sub.2CON(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 liquidT: ##STR18## ##STR19##U: ##STR20## ##STR21##V: ##STR22## .mu..sub.25 = 0,125 Pa sW: NCCH.sub.2CONH(CH.sub.2).sub.3O (CH.sub.2).sub.4O(CH.sub.2).sub.3NHCOCH. sub.2 CNliquidX: ##STR23## .mu..sub.25 : 0,037 Pa sY: NCCH.sub.2CONHC.sub.2 H.sub.5 m.p. = 61-62.degree. C.Z: ##STR24##A': ##STR25##B': ##STR26##__________________________________________________________________________
The cyanoacetyl compounds A and B are particularly preferred.
Higher molecular cyanoacetic acid derivatives can correspond to the formula III ##STR27## wherein Y is a radical of glycol, for example of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, butanediol-1,4, hexanediol-1,6, and so forth, and Y' is a dicarboxylic acid radical, for example phthalic acid, isophthalic acid, adipic acid, and so forth, and m is a number from 2 to 20 inclusive.
The higher-molecular cyanoacetyl compounds (b) are produced, using known processes, by obtaining (either in the melt or in solution with azeotropic removal of the water formed during the reaction) from dicarboxylic acids or anhydrides thereof and excess glycols firstly polyesters having terminal hydroxyl groups, and subsequently reacting these with cyanoacetic acid or with ethyl or methyl esters thereof, in the manner already described for the production of cyanoacetic esters of higher and polyvalent alcohols.
Suitable phenylureas (c) are preferably those of the formula II in which Z is the group ##STR28## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 independently of one another are each the methyl or ethyl group, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 independently of one another are each hydrogen, halogen alkyl having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or alkoxy having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and R.sub.5 is hydrogen or trifluoromethyl. N-p-trifluoromethylphenyl-N',N'-dimethylurea is preferred, and N-p-chlorophenyl-N',N'-dimethylurea (=monuron) and N-p-ethyloxyphenyl-N',N'-dimethylurea are particularly preferred. This component is preferably used in an amount of 0.1 to 5 parts by weight to 100 parts by weight of epoxide resin.
The mixture according to the invention can be produced by simply bringing the components together and carefully heating the materials until the accelerator dissolves. If the epoxide resin is solid, it is temporarily heated until melted, and the curing agent and the accelerator are dissolved therein.
It is possible to add to the mixture also fillers, extenders, reinforcing agents, pigments and other additives customary for the respective application, for example minerals, wood flour, glass fibres, carbon fibres or boron fibres, polyamides, polyesters, carbon black and metal oxides.
The mixtures can be used in the widest variety of commercial fields, for example as casting resins (also filled with mineral substances), laminating resins, adhesives, preparations for surface protection and, with the use of solid epoxide resins, also as moulding materials. They are preferably used as casting resins, laminating resins and adhesives. Cured products can be produced by heating mixtures according to the invention to a temperature of above 100.degree. C.
It is surprising that the cyanoacetic acid derivatives of the formula I are effective as curing agents, and that the storage stability of a mixture of 3 components is in some cases even better that that of the known mixtures of epoxide resin and monuron.

PRODUCTION OF THE CYANOACETYL COMPOUNDS USED IN THE EXAMPLES
A: Neopentyl glycol-bis-cyanoacetic acid ester
In a flask provided with stirrer, Hahn head, reflux condenser and thermometer, 714 parts of cyanoacetic acid, 416 parts of neopentyl glycol and 1200 parts of toluene are heated to boiling. The water formed during esterification is separated in the Hahn head, and the toluene returns to the reaction vessel. After 12 hours of azeotropic esterification, 134 parts by volume of water are collected. The toluene is afterwards distilled off in vacuo, and the residue is fractionated at 13.3 Pa. Between 165.degree. and 181.degree. C., 729 parts (76.5% of theory) of pure neopentyl glycol-bis-cyanoacetic acid ester having the following elementary composition pass over:
______________________________________ calculated for C.sub.11 H.sub.14 N.sub.2 O.sub.4 found______________________________________% C: 55.46 55.3% H: 5.93 6.2% N: 11.76 11.8% O: 26.87 27.3______________________________________
B: Cyanoacetic acid-N-isobutylamide
452 parts of cyanoacetic acid ethyl ester and 306 parts of isobutylamine are reacted for 6 hours at 35.degree..+-.3.degree. C. The alcohol formed during the amidation reaction is afterwards drawn off at 80.degree. C. in vacuo in a rotary evaporator, and the residue is rectified.
b.p..sub.0.3 =126.degree.-132.degree. C.; yield: 436 parts (95% of theory).
______________________________________ calculated for C.sub.7 H.sub.12 N.sub.2 O found______________________________________% C: 59.98 59.7% H: 8.63 8.6% N: 19.99 19.5% O: 11.42 11.5______________________________________
Both products (A and B) crystallise after standing for some time: m.p. about 40.degree. C.
The compounds C to F inclusive are produced in a similar manner by azeotropically esterifying cyanoacetic acid with hexanediol in the case of C, and cyanoacetic acid with 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol in the case of D; E is produced by reacting bisphenol A-di-hydroxyethyl ether, in the presence of catalytic amounts of butyl titanate, with cyanoacetic ester; and F is produced in a known manner.
The production of the phenylurea derivatives used as accelerators is known. Reference may be made for example to the G.B. Pat. Nos. 1,153,639 and 1,293,142, and to the U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,386,956 and 3,759,914.
COMMENTS REGARDING THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLES
(a) General instruction for producing the mixtures
Epoxide resin, curing agent component and optionally accelerator are mixed, in the respective proportions shown in the Tables, at room temperature or if necessary at slightly elevated temperature (40 to a maximum of 80.degree. C.), and are stirred until a clear homogeneous solution is obtained. The mixing of the components can be carried out in the given sequence or in any other possible sequence.
(b) For determination of the storage-stability of the mixtures, a portion thereof is stored at 25.degree. C. in sealed glass flasks, and from time to time the viscosity is measured (Hoeppler scleroscope hardness test method). The mixtures are considered no longer usable when the viscosity on storage has more than doubled, or when--in the case of in general very low-viscous mixtures--a viscosity of 20,000 mPa at 25.degree. C. is exceeded.
(c) For determination of reactivity there is used as a criterion the measurement of the gelling time at various temperatures. A drop of the mixture to be tested is applied to the centre of a hot plate adjusted to the desired temperature, and the time until gelling of the specimen occurs is determined.
(d) Determination of the moulded-material properties and film properties
For this purpose, there are firstly cast, in aluminium moulds, moulded-material sheets having the dimensions 130.times.130.times.4 mm, which are then cured under the conditions given in the Tables, and subsequently broken down into test specimens 60.times.10.times.4 mm in size for determination of the most important mechanical properties according to the (VSM) standard of the Association of Swiss Machine Manufacturers. A test piece taken from a specimen of this kind serves also for the calorimetric determination of the glass transition temperature (GTT) by means of differential thermoanalysis. The GTT enables conclusions to be drawn regarding the dimensional stability under heat to be expected. A remaining portion of the mixtures can be used finally to bond test strips of Anticorodal B (dimensions 170.times.25.times.1.5 mm) with a 12 mm overlap, and to coat cleaned strips of sheet iron, using a triangular blade, with a 50 .mu.m thick layer. The test specimens thus obtained for determining the adhesive properties (tensile strength) are also cured under the conditions shown in the Tables.
EXAMPLE 1
The Example illustrates the effect of increasing amounts of N-p-chlorophenyl-N',N'-dimethylurea on a combination consisting of a liquid unmodified epoxide resin from bisphenol A and neopentyl glycol-bis-cyanoacetic ester as curing agent.
The results obtained from the determination of the gelling time and of storage-stability are summarised in Table Ia. They show that the gelling time at elevated temperature can be very greatly reduced by the addition of N-p-chlorophenyl-N',N'-dimethylurea (monuron) as accelerator, without this reduction at the same time being associated with any marked shortening of storage-stability. The storage-stability is in this case surprisingly even better than that with a combination of a diglycidyl compound based on bisphenol-A and the accelerator alone, without the addition of neopentyl glycol-bis-cyanoacetic ester.
Table 1b shows the effectiveness of the accelerator on the basis of the properties of moulded materials and films. Without accelerator, no usable moulded materials are obtained after a curing time of 12 hours at 120.degree. C., whereas both with 2 and with 5 parts by weight of accelerator to 100 parts by weight of epoxide resin, the moulded materials and films have favourable properties.
Table 1c illustrates that a combination of unmodified epoxide resin from bisphenol-A and a curing agent/accelerator mixture according to the invention has excellent storage-stability also when in solution.
Accordingly, the combination according to the invention renders possible the formulation of storage-stable one-component systems which at elevated temperature have, compared with the formulation without accelerator, the advantage of a greatly reduced gelling time, and which moreover can be cured at a lower temperature and/or in a shorter time.
Mention may be made by way of comparison that with the use of customary accelerators, such as benzyldimethylamine and 1-methylimidazole, the storage-stability is considerably lower, even when using smaller amounts of accelerator, which are also selected that the gelling time at 180.degree. C. is approximately equally long and corresponds to that using an amount of 2 phr of monuron.
______________________________________viscosity in mPa s 0.4 phr of benzyl- 0.2 phr of 1-methyl- dimethylamine imidazoleviscosity at 25.degree. C. 5850 5475viscosity after 3 daysat 25.degree. C. 18225 9300viscosity after 30 daysat 25.degree. C. solid, m.p. 62.degree. C. solid, m.p. 50.degree. C.______________________________________
TABLE 1a__________________________________________________________________________Effect of increasing proportions of accelerator on the reactivity andstoragestability of a mixture of epoxide resin and neopentyl glycol-bis-cyanoacetic ester.__________________________________________________________________________resin component unmodified epoxide resin from bisphenol-A [epoxide content 5.4 equiv./kg, viscosity (25.degree. C.) 10500 mPa s]curing agent 21.5 parts by weight of neopentyl glycol-bis- 0component cyanoacetic ester to 100 parts by weight of epoxide resin (phr)accelerator N-p-chlorophenyl-N',N'-dimethylurea (monuron)amount ofaccelerator(parts by wt. to -- 0,5 1 2 5 2100 parts by wt.of resin = phr)gelling time at180.degree. C. >2 h 55 min. 24 min. 15 min. 7 min. 10 sec. 1 h 55 min.gelling time at120.degree. C. 2 h 30 min. 1 h 50 min.viscosity at25.degree. C. (mPa s) 5600 5625 5625 5720 6450 10530viscosity at25.degree. C.(mPa s)afterX days storageat 25.degree. C.X = 3 5720X = 30 5600 5775 5775 5070 6900 12740X = 60 5600 5775 5625 4400 7725 14430X = 150 4700 57600X = 300 6240__________________________________________________________________________
TABLE 1b__________________________________________________________________________Effect of increasing proportions of accelerator on the properties ofmoulded materialsand films from a combination of epoxide resin and neopentylglycol-bis-cyanoacetic ester.__________________________________________________________________________resin component epoxide resin based on bisphenol-A (as in Table 1a)curing agent component 21.5 phr of neopentyl glycol-bis-cyanoacetic esteraccelerator N-p-chlorophenyl-N',N'-dimethylurea (monuron)amount of accelerator (phr) 2 5 0curing 4 h at 80.degree. C. + 12 h at 120.degree. C.dimensional stability under haet no(ISO-75) 106.degree. C. 111.degree. C. curingglass transition temp. (differential therefore nothermoanalysis) 118.degree. C. 119.degree. C. testingimpact bend strength kJ/m.sup.2 possible(VSM standard 77105) 47.5 25bend strength N/mm.sup.2(VSM standard 77103) 126 119flexural strength mm(VSM standard 77103) 10.5 12tensile shearing strength on AnticorodalN/mm.sup.2 (DIN 53183) 18.7 14increase in weight after 4 days'storage in water at 25.degree. C. 0.31% 0.45%__________________________________________________________________________ ISO = International Standards Organisation VSM = Verein Schweizerischer Maschinenindustrieller (Association of Swiss Machine Manufacturers) DIN = Deutsche IndustrieNorm (German Industrial Standards)Appearance after curingin a thin layer onglass glossy film glossy film__________________________________________________________________________*resistance of thin films to chemicals 5 N H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 1 1 5 N NaOH 1 1 H.sub.2 O 1 1 acetone 2 2__________________________________________________________________________ *1 drop of chemical is left on the film for 1 hour, after which time the assessment is made as follows: 1 = in order 2 = slightly attacked 3 = severely attacked 4 = completely destroyed.
TABLE 1c______________________________________Testing of the build-up of viscosity in solution.______________________________________System 100 parts of unmodified epoxide resin from bisphenol-A [epoxide content = 5.4 equiv./kg, viscosity (25.degree. C.) 10500 mPa s] 21.5 parts of neopentyl glycol-bis- cyanoacetic ester 2 parts monuron 20 parts of methyl glycolgelling time at180.degree. C. 13'160.degree. C. 25' 40"viscosity at25.degree. C. (mPa s)after X days'storage at 25.degree. C.X = 0 195X = 90 195______________________________________
EXAMPLE 1A
It is shown in Table 1A that also other epoxide resins can be used in place of the liquid unmodified epoxide resin based on bisphenol-A without losing the high storage stability. The cyanoacetyl compound used was neopentyl glycol-bis-cyanoacetic ester, and the accelerator used was monuron. ##STR29##
TABLE 1A__________________________________________________________________________resin component 1 2 3 4curing agent component neopentyl glycol-bis-cyanoacetic esteramount of curing agent (phr) 28.6 23.8 32.3 9.5accelerator monuronaccelerator (phr) 2 2 2 1gelling time at 180.degree. C. 46' 16'50" 41' 24'gelling time at 160.degree. C. 1h 13' 43'30" 3h 55' 40'gelling time at 140.degree. C. 1h 30' 1h 25' 1h 15'viscosity at 25.degree. C. sofeningafter X days' rangestorage at 25.degree. C.X = 0 1350 675 <70 <40.degree. C.(mPa s) X = 90 1440 765 <70 <40.degree. C.X = 150 1650 1200 <70 <40.degree. C.curing 4h 180.degree. C. + 4h 80.degree. C. + 6h 120.degree. C. + 6h 120.degree. C. + 6h 120.degree. C. 6h 120.degree. C. 6h 180.degree. C. 6h 180.degree. C.glass transition temperature(differential thermoanalysis) 117.degree. C. 80.degree. C. 48.degree. C. 104.degree. C.tensile strength on Anticorodal(N/mm.sup.2) 10.4 6.3 17.3 24.7DIN 53183__________________________________________________________________________
EXAMPLE 2
Instead of neopentyl glycol-bis-cyanoacetic ester, the curing agent used is in this case cyanoacetic acid-N-isobutylamide. With this relatively low-melting and readily soluble cyanoacetic acid derivative too, there is obtained, together with N-chlorophenyl-N',N'-dimethylurea as accelerator, a favourable reactivity/storage stability ratio and, after curing, a favorable pattern of properties in moulded materials and films is shown. The corresponding test results are summarised in the Tables 2a and 2b.
It has been demonstrates by way of comparison that with use of compounds customarily used as accelerators, such as benzyldimethylamine and 1-methylimidazole, the storage stability is considerably lower. For comparison, there are used amounts of accelerator which, with regard to the gelling time at 180.degree. C., correspond to the amount of 2 phr of monuron:
______________________________________viscosity in mPa s 0.45 phr of benzyl- 0.15 phr of dimethylamine 1-methylimidazoleviscosity at 25.degree. C. 2850 2400viscosity after 3days at 25.degree. C. solid, m.p. 56.degree. C. 6525viscosity after 30days at 25.degree. C. solid, m.p. 56.degree. C. solid, m.p. 55.degree. C.______________________________________
TABLE 2a__________________________________________________________________________Effect of increasing proportions of accelerator on the reactivity andstorage stability of a mixtureof epoxide resin and cyanoacetic acid-N-isobutylamide.__________________________________________________________________________resin component epoxide based on bisphenol-A as in Table 1acuring agent component 25.2 phr of cyanoacetic acid-N-isobutylamide withoutaccelerator N-p-chlorophenyl-N',N'-dimethylurea (monuron)amount of accelerator(phr) -- 0.5 1 2 7.5 2gelling time at 180.degree. C. 2h 25 min. 20 min. 24 min. 8 min. 1h 55 min.gelling time at 120.degree. C. 2h 50 min. 1h 30 min. 63 min. 30 min. 40 sec.viscosity at 25.degree. C. 5600 2325 2250 2400 2635 10530viscosity at 25.degree. C.(mPa s) after X days'storage at 25.degree. C.X = 3 2400X = 10 5600 2175 2325 2400 2850 11570X = 30 5600 2175 2325 2475 7650 12740X = 60 5600 2175 2475 2925 14430__________________________________________________________________________
TABLE 2b__________________________________________________________________________Effect of increasing proportions of accelerator on the propertiesof moulded materials and films from a combination of epoxideresin and cyanoacetic acid-N-isobutylamide.__________________________________________________________________________resin component epoxide resin based on bisphenol-A (as in Table 1a)curing agent component 21.5 phr of cyanoacetic acid-N-isobutylamideaccelerator N-p-chlorophenyl-N',N'-dimethylureaamount of accelerator (phr) 0.5 2 7.5curing agent 4h at 80.degree. C. + 6h at 120.degree. C.dimensional stability under heat(ISO-75) 131.degree. C. 109.degree. C. 102.degree. C.glass transition temp. (differentialthermoanalysis) 141.degree. C. 123.degree. C. 106.degree. C.impact bend strength kJ/m.sup.2(VSM standard 77105) 54 66 22bend strength N/mm.sup.2(VSM standard 77103) 97 86 82flexural strength mm(VSM standard 77103) 15.5 16.7 14.5tensile shearing strength on Anti-corodalN/mm.sup.2 (DIN 53183) 17.2 18.3 16.6increase in weight after 4 days'storage in water at 25.degree. C. 0.39% 0.37% 0.45%__________________________________________________________________________Appearance after curing in glossy glossy glossya thin film on glass film film film__________________________________________________________________________*resistance of thin films to chemicals: 5 N H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 1 1 5 N NaOH 1 1 H.sub.2 O 1 1 acetone 2 2__________________________________________________________________________ *for evaluation see Table 1b
EXAMPLE 3
N-p-Chlorophenyl-N',N'-dimethylurea as accelerator, in combination with a whole series of cyanoacetic acid derivatives used as curing agents, results in a very favourable ratio between gelling time at elevated temperature and long storage stability at room temperature. The most important data are summarised in Table 3a.
The systems have very high storage stability also in combination with solvent (see Table 3b).
TABLE 3a__________________________________________________________________________Cyanoacetyl compounds of differing structure__________________________________________________________________________resin component 100 parts by weight of epoxide resin based on bisphenol-A (as in Table 1a)cyanoacetylcompound* 25.2 parts of B 21.5 parts of A 22.7 parts of C 25 parts of D 40.5 parts of E 20.3 parts of Faccelerator 2 phr of monurongelling time at180.degree. C. 14 min. 15 min. 13 min. 11 min. 30 min. 42 min.gelling time at120.degree. C. 1h 05 min. 2h 30 min. 2h 35 min. 1h 40 min. 4h 10 min. 2h 50 min.viscosity at 25.degree. C.(mPa s) 2400 5720 2500 8000 57'500 450viscosity at 25.degree. C.(mPa s)after X days'storage at 25.degree. C.X = 10 2400 5720 2700 9000 65'200 450X = 30 2475 5070 4000 15000 76'500 450X = 60 2925 4400 4000 83'000 580X = 90 4000 88'500 525__________________________________________________________________________ *The equivalent amount is calculated as follows: 1/3 equiv. of CN/1 equiv of epoxide. The designations correspond to those given with regard to the production of the cyanoacetyl compounds.
TABLE 3b______________________________________Cyanoacetyl compounds of differing structurein a system containing solvent.______________________________________Resin component 100 parts of epoxide resin based on bisphenol-A, as in Table 1acyanoacetylcompound* 25 parts of D 40.5 parts of Eaccelerator 2 phr of monuronmethyl ethylketone 20 phrviscosity at25.degree. C. in mPa safter X days'storage at 25.degree. C.X = 0 200 130X = 30 210 130______________________________________ *The amount used is calculated as follows: 1/3 equiv. of CN/1 equiv. of epoxide. The designations correspond to those given under the section dealing with the production of cyanoacetyl compounds.
EXAMPLE 4
Using a combination of a liquid unmodified bisphenol-A epoxide resin and neopentyl glycol-bis-cyanoacetic ester as well as a combination of the same resin and cyanoacetic acid-N-isobutylamide, it is shown (Table 4) that the N-p-chlorophenyl-N',N'-dimethylurea used as accelerator in the preceding Examples can be readily replaced by N-p-ethoxyphenyl-N',N'-dimethylurea (comparative values: see Tables 1a and 1b, as well as Tables 2a and 2b),
TABLE 4__________________________________________________________________________Accelerator effect of N-p-ethoxyphenyl-N',N'-dimethylurea on thecombinationof liquid unmodified epoxide resins based on bisphenol A (epoxidecontent: 5.4 equive./kg,viscosity at 25.degree. C.: 10,500 mPa s) and curing agent.__________________________________________________________________________curing agent component 21.5 phr of neopentyl- 25.2 phr of cyanoacetic acid- glycol-bis-cyanoacetic N-isobutylamide esteramount of accelerator 5 phr 7.5 phrgelling time at 180.degree. C. 6 min. 10 sec. 8 min. 30 sec.gelling time at 120.degree. C. 80 min. 25 min. 30 sec.__________________________________________________________________________after curing for 4 hours at 80.degree. C. and 6 hours at 120.degree.__________________________________________________________________________C.dimensional stability under heat (ISO 150-75) 103.degree. C. 90.degree. C.glass transition temperature (differentialthermoanalysis) 120.degree. C. 101.degree. C.impact bend strength kJ/m.sup.2(VSM standard 77105) 23.3 30.8bend strength N/mm.sup.2 (VSM standard 77103) 111 90.9flexural strength (VSM standard 77103) 13 12.5tensile shearing strength on AnticorodalN/mm.sup.2 (DIN 53183) 14 19.2increase in weight after 4 days' storage inwater at 25.degree. C. 0.45% 0.41%__________________________________________________________________________
EXAMPLE 5
The Tables 5a and 5b show the effect of different accelerators, of which the amount in the mixture corresponds to the content of tertiary nitrogen of 2 parts by weight of monuron (see the corresponding values in the Tables 1a and 2a). The employed epoxide resin corresponds to that used in Example 1. The following monuron-similar compounds are used as accelerators:
__________________________________________________________________________ Melting point__________________________________________________________________________I: ##STR30## 137-138.degree. C.II: ##STR31## 175-185.degree. C.III: ##STR32## 224-226.degree. C.IV: ##STR33## 108-110.degree. C.V: ##STR34## 224-226.degree. C.VI: ##STR35## 130-132.degree. C.VII: ##STR36## 192-193.degree. C.VIII: ##STR37## 110-113.degree. C.IX: ##STR38## 158-159.degree. C.X: ##STR39## 173-174.degree. C.XI: ##STR40## 163-164,5.degree. C.XII: ##STR41## 134.degree. C.
TABLE 5a__________________________________________________________________________Acceleration with neopentyl glycol-bis-cyanoacetic ester as curing__________________________________________________________________________agentSystem 100 parts of epoxide resin based on bisphenol-A (as in Table 1a) and 21.5 parts of neopentyl glycol-bis-cyanoacetic esteraccelerator phr I 2.1 II 1.3 III 1.7 IV 2.2 V 2.1 VI 2.3 VII 2.3 VIII 2.2 IX 2.3 X 2.0 XI XII 1.6gelling time at 180.degree. C.(min.) 12 17 15 64 13 14 16 13 17 26 15 14gelling time at 120.degree. C.(min.) 158 255 180 480 138 180 220 160 210 250 228 192viscosity at 25.degree. C. (mPa s) 5850 6600 7200 6075 5625 5625 5625 6225 6000 6000 5950 5600viscosity at 25.degree. C. (mPa s)after X days' storageat 25.degree. C.:X = 10 5925 6750 6900 5850 6450 5950 6300 7820 6375 6300 6650 5625X = 30 6600 6750 6900 7200 6550 6375 9150 6600 6450 6675 5775X = 60 9375 7500 6900 7125 7650 6150X = 90 8650 7000 7800 6000 9150 7875 6825 6525X = 150 8025 13200 9600 12525X = 230 8175curing 4 h 80.degree. C. + 6 h 120.degree. C.glass transition tem-perature (differentialthermoanalysis)(.degree.C.) 118 120 116 133 127 131 126 126 127 123 128 127tensile shearing strengthon Anticorodal (N/mm.sup.2) 14.8 14.1 15.8 14.3 15.8 17.2 16.2 15.2 13.8 16.5 15.9__________________________________________________________________________
TABLE 5b__________________________________________________________________________Acceleration with cyanoacetic acid-N-isobutylamide__________________________________________________________________________System 100 parts of epoxide resin based on bisphenol- A (as in Table 1a) and 25.5 parts of cyano- acetic acid-N-isobutylamideaccelerator, phr I 2.1 II 1.3 III 1.7 IV 2.2 XII 1.6gelling time at 180.degree. C. (min.) 12 13 15 160 123/4gelling time at 120.degree. C. (min.) 56 53 78 380 68viscosity at 25.degree. C. (mPa s) 2700 2625 2775 2550 2250viscosity at 25.degree. C. (mPa s)after X days' storage at25.degree. C.X = 10 2700 2625 2775 2625 2325X = 30 3450 3150 2625 2455X = 60 3525 3975X = 90 6375curing 4h 80.degree.+ 6h 128.degree.+ 6h 180.degree. C.glass transition tem-perature (.degree.C.)(differential thermo-analysis) 125 125 124 120 123tensile shearingstrength on Anticoro-dal (N/mm.sup.2) 20.0 18.6 17.7 22.2__________________________________________________________________________
EXAMPLE 6
In Table 6 are compared three formulations, with regard to gelling time at elevated temperature, storage stability at room temperature and appearance of moulded materials produced therewith, with known combinations which are all based on the same liquid unmodified epoxide resin from bisphenol-A, and which are designated as being storage-stable one-component systems or formulations having a very long service life.
Compared with the combination cured with a BF.sub.3 ethylamine complex, the formulations according to the invention are distinguished by a viscosity which is advantageously lower for many applications, and by better storage stability. The initial viscosity is likewise clearly reduced compared with that of the formulation with a BCl.sub.3 amine complex. The use of liquid methyltetrahydrophthalic acid anhydride as curing agent and benzyldimethylamine as accelerator does mean a somewhat lower initial viscosity, but the storage stability is completely inadequate for use as a one-component system. When the benzyldimethylamine is replaced with monuron, the storage stability is indeed improved; however, the moulded materials after curing exhibit fine blistering. Such inhomogeneity impairs the mechanical properties and prevents the application of the moulded materials as electrical insulating material in high-voltage systems.
Finally, if the curing agent components according to the invention are replaced with cyanoacetamide, the temperature has to be raised to about 100.degree. C. in the production of the resin/curing agent/accelerator mixture in order to get the curing agent component into solution. On cooling, cyanoacetamide is already precipitating at 90.degree. C.; it is therefore not possible to obtain with cyanoacetamide a one-component system which is homogeneous at room temperature. The insolubility of the curing agent accordingly leads to difficulties similar to those already described for combinations of epoxide resin, dicyanodiamide and for example monuron: the curing agent on storage and during the curing process precipitates to a greater or lesser degree, which again results in inhomogeneous moulded materials having inadequate properties.
TABLE 6__________________________________________________________________________Comparison with known resin/curing agent and optionally acceleratorcombinations__________________________________________________________________________resin component liquid unmodified epoxide resin based on bisphenol-A, as in Table 1acuring agent component neopentyl glycol- cyanoacetic cyanoacetic BF.sub.3 ethyl- BCl.sub.3 octyl- methyl-tetrahy- bis-cyanacetic acid-N-iso- acid-N-iso- amine amine drophthalic acid ester(21.5 phr) butylamide butylamide complex complex anhydride (25.2 phr) (25.2 phr) (3 phr) (76 phr)accelerator "monuron" "monuron" "monuron" -- -- benzyldimethyl- amine (7.5 phr) (2 phr) (5 phr) (0.1 phr)viscosity at 25.degree. C. (mPa s) 6700 2400 2500 76 000 21 500 1 050gelling time at 120.degree. C. 70 min. 65 min. 35 min. 63 min. 34 min. 51 min.time until initial viscosi-ty is doubled about about about 1 day 10 weeks 10 weeks 6 weeksviscosity after 8 weeks'storage at 25.degree. C. (mPa s) 2925 220 000 25 000 solid after 6 daysappearance of the mouldedmaterials obtained after fully satis- fully satis- fully satis- fully fully satis- fully satis-curing factory factory factory satis- factory factory factoryobservations high initial viscosity__________________________________________________________________________curing agent component methyl-tetrahydrophthalic acid cyanoacetamide dicyanodiamide anhydride (76 phr) (11.2 phr) (13 phr)accelerator "monuron" "monuron" "monuron" (1.5 phr) (2 phr) (1 phr)viscosity at 25.degree. C. (mPa s) 825 no clear no clear solution solutiongelling time at 120.degree. C. 180 min. 28.5 min.time until initial visco- .about.25 days more than 6 weekssity is doubledviscosity after 8 weeksstorage at 25.degree. C. (mPa s) 4600appearance of moulded inhomogeneous inhomogeneous severematerials obtained after interspersed with fine settling out ofcuring blisters curing agent__________________________________________________________________________

Number	Name	Date
3386956	Nawakowski et al.	Jun 1968
3470132	Ernst et al.	Sep 1969
3519604	Maurer	Jul 1970
3530093	Maurer	Sep 1970
3530095	Porret et al.	Sep 1970
3759914	Simms et al.	Sep 1973
3764584	Hope et al.	Oct 1973
3849366	Patrick	Nov 1974
3956237	Doorakian et al.	May 1976
4202920	Renner et al.	May 1980

Number	Date	Country
1153639	May 1969	GBX
1260896	Jan 1972	GBX
1293142	Oct 1972	GBX
1346769	Feb 1974	GBX

Storage-stable, homogeneous mixture containing epoxide resin, curing agent and curing accelerator, and the use of the mixture for producing cured products

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