Epoxy Resin Systems

Epoxy resin systems are extensively used in high end composite manufacture, their low shrinkage, strong mechanical properties, resistance to corrosive materials, and good adhesion give it an advantage over its competitors.

Epoxy resin must be mixed at the correct ratio! This is a shoutout for anybody only familiar with polyester resin systems, where you add more or less catalyst to change the setting time, this is a completely different technology! The mix ratio is critical to the curing process. If you want to change the setting time, most epoxies are available with different speed hardeners. Getting the ratio correct is usually done with gramscales.

Exothermic reaction: When the resin and hardener are mixed, an exothermic reaction occurs. That means that it will produce heat. The more you mix at a time, the more heat is produced. What this means for you is the hotter it gets the faster it sets. If you need to mix alot of Epoxy, and this could be a potential problem, try to mix it in a large container to spread the resin out, the more surface area that is exposed will help to reduce heat buildup. Generally potlife time is given for 100g of resin.