Cleaning Agents for Epoxy Resins
Epoxy resins are widely used in the composite industry due to their exceptional adhesive properties, high strength, and chemical resistance
However, epoxy resins can be challenging to clean due to their strong bonding characteristics.
The effective use of cleaning agents is vital in maintaining the quality of epoxy resin composites. Cleaning epoxy resins involves a combination of techniques. For uncured or partially cured epoxy, solvent-based cleaners are often used. The epoxy surface is soaked or sprayed with the cleaning agent and then scrubbed or agitated to break down the resin.
For fully cured epoxy, water-based cleaners are preferred. The surface is typically soaked or sprayed with the cleaner, followed by scrubbing with a soft brush or sponge. In some cases, mechanical methods such as blasting or sanding may be required for stubborn contaminants.
Solvent-based cleaning agents are commonly used for cleaning epoxy resins. Acetone, MEK, gamma-butyro lactone (GBL), NMP and other strong solvents are effective in dissolving and removing uncured or partially cured epoxy resins. However, such solvents pose several risks for the operators, the environment, and process safety.
RESIN CLEANER EP2 and RESIN CLEANER EP40 are extremely efficient cleaning agents for epoxy resins with a flash point >60ͦC, they have less CLP labelling than many, traditional strong solvents, and they have a much lower evaporation loss.
