Tuesday 31 July 2012

Knowing the Difference between Clear Epoxy Glue and Clear Epoxy Resin


The epoxy adhesives are primarily a group of high-performance bonding agents, which include polyurethane, acrylic and cyanoacrylate among others. The differences among the various kinds of these adhesives mainly depend on their utilization purposes. The variations are done with the aid of hardeners that can make these adhesives opaque or transparent. These adhesives can be utilized to bond anything – steel, wood, glass, stone and even aircraft and boats parts.
Clear Epoxy Glue 
This glue is an adhesive mostly utilized for industrial applications. It is made up of two-parts i.e. liquid and powder. The proportions of these two-parts depend on your requirement like, how tough and swift to dry adhesive is required? One of the important industrial uses of this glue is in the jewellery industry, particularly, jewellery made out of plastic. In addition, this clear glue is utilized on large-scale for bonding of wood, glass and steel among other materials.
Clear Epoxy Resin: 
This resin is also an adhesive, but it is utilized as super-high gloss. A single coat of this resin equals as many as thirty coats of regular varnish. This is why these resins are utilized for the final touches on almost anything – stone, clocks, leather, plaques and ceramics etc. These clear resins are ideal for polished surface bar counters and tabletops.
Clear Epoxy Glue vs. Clear Resin –
Difference in their Uses 
The fundamental difference between Epoxy Glue and Clear Resin is their application or utilization. While the clear glue is usually utilized to bond products on small and large-scales, the clear resin is utilized more like a last finish coat, which enhances the appearance of the product. The clear glue can easily be manipulated by adjusting the proportions of the liquid hardener and powder epoxy into an adhesive, which dries slowly or swiftly, turns elastic or hard or into moulds for making plastic models. The resin is utilized to make a super-glossy, glass-type finish on any item – usually stone or wood.
Difference in their Application 
The clear glue, though a brilliant adhesive, which can be utilized to bond any kind of surface, is just an adhesive. However, clear resin also protects the surface it coats from rot (the chemical properties of this resin facilitates it to mingle in woods while it bond to it; hence, making it fungus proof), from water (it is water repellent) and from scratches (it hardens to turn into a glass-type surface).

Thursday 26 July 2012

Rendezvous with Basic Dyes – Known For Providing Bright Colors to Textiles


Whenever the discussion of Basic dyes starts, the very first sentence is often, “they are colored aromatic compounds.” These dyes are water-soluble cationic dyes that are primarily applied to acrylic fibres, but find some usage for silk and wool as well. These dyes are highly praised for their ability to produce brighter colors on textile. There are extremely bright dyes, which are commonly synthetic.
Basic dyes are named so because they are organic bases or salts, and are referred to as cationic dyes because in solution the dye molecules ionizes, causing its colored element to turn into an action of positively charged radical.
Properties:
  • The amazing properties of cationic dyes are intensity and brilliance of their colors
  • Many of these dyes are meagrely soluble in water
  • These dyes are readily soluble in mentholated spirit and alcohol
  • One important property of these dyes is that it can combine with tannic acid to create an insoluble compound provided mineral acid is not present.
  • When treated with a reducing agent, most of these dyes are converted into their colors less leuco compounds, which can return to their original shade via oxidizing agents or exposure to air.
  • The wet fastness of cationic dyes on protein fibres can be enhanced by back tanning.
  • The brightness and quality of colors obtained with these dyes are amazing and unparallel
  • It is advised not to use these dyes on cotton owing to the non-plainer structure of cotton and its incompetency for sufficient affinity.

Uses of cationic dyes:
  • The dyes are utilized for wooden goods when specifically bright colors are needed that cannot be availed with acid dyes
  • They are used for making typewriter ribbons, inks and dyeing leather.
  • Basic dye does not possess affinity for cellulosic fibres like cotton. However, bright shades are required on cotton that can only be achieved by using cationic dyes.
  • They are applied to silk, modified acrylic fibres and wool
  • They are used for coloring dry flowers, cut flowers, coir and jute.
  • Are used for coloration of paper

Modified Basic Dyes
The all-new improvised dyes, based on an identical chemistry of cationic dyes, display a bit lengthier molecular structures as compared to conventional cationic dyes, and results in substantially improved properties. Their key benefits over conventional cationic dyes are:
  • Outstanding substantivity
  • Covers all fibres
  • Better Light fastness
  • Clear backwaters

In case, the reason behind the success of basic dye is assessed, it would be noted that the positively charged cations of these dyes becomes attracted towards the negatively charged anions in the acrylic fibre. Some major examples of cationic dyes are basic fuchsia safranin, crystal violet and methylene blue etc.

Monday 16 July 2012

Use Epoxy Resin for Fine Adhesion and High Stability


Epoxy, along with its incredible range of applications, has been extensively used since 1950s. Many books were written about these adhesives and its usages in the 70s, but since then myriad changes have happened in, both, its formulation and uses. As of 2011, the epoxy resin industry amounts to over $15 billion in North America and about $25 billion across the world. In the current times, epoxy users have become highly sophisticated and expect more from these adhesives for which they spend their money. 

Overview
These adhesives are thermosetting polymer created from the reaction of epoxide 'resin' with the polyamine 'hardener.' These resins are used in a range of applications, including general use adhesives and fiber-reinforced plastic materials. Furthermore, they are a class of synthetic resins commonly utilized to make adhesives and plastics. They are highly acclaimed for their splendid adhesion, toughness, durability and high- resistance to heat and chemicals.

 Applications
Functions of these resins are fundamental across numerous industries – it is used in glues, ad infinitum, putties and paints. 


Paints and Coatings
Two-part epoxy coatings were formed for heavy-duty employment on metal surfaces and utilized less energy as compared to heat-cured powder coatings. They dry swiftly providing a durable protective coating with outstanding solidity. Their low volatility and easy water clean-up makes them bulls-eye for factory cast aluminum, cast iron and cast steel. They are widely used in automobile and industrial applications because they are more heat-resistant as compared to alkali-based and latex-based paints. 


Foams
Epoxy resins are utilized to form lightweight, sturdy, foamy structures boasting of excellent insulation properties. Moreover, they are specifically utilized for foam-in-place applications in the casting and 'potting' process. These resins are prod


Construction
These resins are now utilized as binders in materials employed for construction. Typically, a 2-parts system consisting of diluents, thickening agents, fillers, curing agents and resins is used. They are utilized to bond concrete and to generate industrial smooth slender-set terrazzo floors. This application has been extended to the construction of buildings, roads and filling up the cracks in concrete structures. 


Adhesives
The versatile characteristics of these resins make them extremely valuable as adhesives in military and civilian applications. Approximately 5% of total epoxy production is consumed as adhesive in a range of structural applications. These adhesives create strong bonds with all kinds of surfaces, with the exception of some non-polar surfaces. 


Laminates
Laminated epoxy based insulations are widely utilized as rods, tubes and sheets. Paper, polyaramid fabric or sheets of woven glass with the B-stage epoxies are laminated in multiple pattern presses. In addition, they are utilized in preparing assemblies of polyaramid fibers or copper-clad glass for printed circuit boards in the electronics sector.

These resins can be bought from hardware store, marine supply outlets, hobby shops, craft stores or online. However, when using epoxy resin, it is essential to follow certain safety measures. A person must work in a well-ventilated area and prevent inhaling the fumes of the product. He should also wear gloves and shades to protect his skin and eyes.

Sunday 1 July 2012

A Rendezvous with the Applications of Epoxy in Commercial and Domestic World


Epoxy, also referred to as poly-epoxide is a thermostatic polymer formed via a reaction of a polyamine “hardener” with epoxide “resin”. This chemical compound is a co-polymer; that means, it is formed from 2-different chemicals, and they are referred to as resins and hardener. This chemical compound boasts of a gamut of applications, including general purpose adhesives and fiber-reinforced plastic materials.

Application of Epoxies: Listed below are some of the major applications of it:

Adhesives:
Poly-epoxide adhesives are an eminent part of the class of adhesives known as 'engineering adhesives' or 'structural adhesives'. These high-performance adhesives are utilized in the construction of automobiles, aircraft, snow boards, golf clubs, boats, skis, bicycles, and other applications, where high strength bonds are needed. These adhesives can be formed to suit almost any kind of application. Moreover, they are exceptional adhesives for metal, stone, wood and some plastics.

Coatings and Paintings:
Two-part waterborne epoxies coating are utilized as ambient cure coatings. These non-hazardous, two part coatings are created for hefty duty services on metal stratum and make use of less energy as opposed to heat-cured powder coatings. These systems make use of a more luring 4:1 by volume mixing ratio. The coating dries swiftly rendering a tough, solid, UV resistant, projective coating along with immense hardness and excellent abrasion and mar resistance. They are designed for quick dry protective coating applications.

In addition, ambient part two waterborne
epoxy coatings offer superior physical proper; they have superlative adhesion to several metal substrates. Their water cleanup and low volatility indeed makes them an ideal for factory cast aluminum, cast iron and cast steel applications and decreases flammability and exposure issues associated with solvent-borne coatings. They are utilized for automotive and commercial uses since they are high-heat resistant.

Industrial Tooling & Composites:
Polyepoxide systems are utilized in industrial tooling applications in order to produce fixtures, models, castings, laminates, and various other industrial production aids. This 'plastic tooling' substitutes wood, metal and other expensive traditional materials, and generally boosts the efficiency and reduces the overall cost and lead time for ambit industrial processes. In addition, they are utilized in producing composite or fiber-reinforced components. They are generally moire expensive as compared to vinyl ester resins or polyester resins, but produce robust and heat-resistant composite parts.

Art:
Epoxies resin, mingled with pigment is utilized as a painting medium via pouring layers on top of one another to create a complete painting.

The applications of epoxy based materials are magnanimous and include composite materials, adhesives and coatings like those utilizing fiberglass reinforcements and carbon fiber. Moreover, the chemistry of epoxies and the array of commercially available variations facilitate cure polymers to be generated with a gigantic range of properties. In general, this poly-epoxide is known for its good-to excellent mechanical properties, heat and chemical resistance, highly good electrical insulating properties and excellent adhesion.