"Post curing" What is it? How is it done?
10-25-2002, 10:26 PM
#2
Senior Member
My Feedback: (6)
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Spring Lake,
MI
Posts: 308
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
"Post curing" What is it? How is it done?
What epoxy did you use? Some epoxies can be post cured for improved properties. An example of a heat treatable epoxy is Pro-Set by Gougeon Bros.
Other epoxies gain no benefit from heat treating.
Other epoxies gain no benefit from heat treating.
10-25-2002, 11:27 PM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2002
Location: opononi, NEW ZEALAND
Posts: 354
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
"Post curing" What is it? How is it done?
My understanding is that many (not all) expoxies and other matrix compounds "set" in two stages.
The first stage goes from liquid to sufficiently solid to handle.
The second is from that point to "fully cured".
The particular epoxy that I use (Epiglass 2000) has a three hour set and a 48 hour full cure for glassing. Heating will speed the process but it will tend to make the matrix more brittle.
Talking to the guys who use West Systems, the setting and full cure times are similar but there may be some benefit from gentle heating during the initial set.
So this is all part of finding the resin/hardener combination that suits the facilities you have (oven/vacc/press/etc) and the properties that you want the final article to have (hard/soft/springy/flexible/etc)
What I use works for me. One or two have looked at the results and said "I could never get Epiglass to do that..." and others have said "... x does that better..."
The first stage goes from liquid to sufficiently solid to handle.
The second is from that point to "fully cured".
The particular epoxy that I use (Epiglass 2000) has a three hour set and a 48 hour full cure for glassing. Heating will speed the process but it will tend to make the matrix more brittle.
Talking to the guys who use West Systems, the setting and full cure times are similar but there may be some benefit from gentle heating during the initial set.
So this is all part of finding the resin/hardener combination that suits the facilities you have (oven/vacc/press/etc) and the properties that you want the final article to have (hard/soft/springy/flexible/etc)
What I use works for me. One or two have looked at the results and said "I could never get Epiglass to do that..." and others have said "... x does that better..."
