As a kind of thermosetting plastic, epoxy features excellent physical and mechanical properties, including electrical insulation and adhesion to various materials. Therefore, it can be made into coatings, composite materials, casting materials, adhesives, molding materials, and injection molding materials. Epoxy has been widely used in worldwide industries.
Paintings
- Painting is a major application of epoxy. Epoxy paintings feature:
- Chemical resistance, especially alkali resistance
- Strong film adhesion, especially to metals
- Heat resistance and insulation
- Good film color retention
Adhesives
Despite of non-polar plastics like polyolefins, an epoxy adhesive is suitable for almost all kinds of metals and thermosetting plastics. So it is called universal adhesive. Epoxy is used as an important structural adhesive.
Epoxy Adhesives on Car Components
| USAGE | MATERIAL | POSITION | TYPICAL STRUCTURE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimping & Spot Welding | steel panel | engine hood, car doors, trunk bottom | monobloc epoxy & PVC resin |
| Reinforcing | steel panel & FRP | mid-part of car doors | epoxy & trimethyl metaborate |
| Reinforcing | steel panel & foam material | door handles | epoxy & PA |
| Structure Adhering | carbon/glass fiber, steel, pig iron | drive shaft, brake pad | monobloc epoxy protoplasm |
| Sealing | FRP & coating steel | roof and window frame | epoxy & thiokol |
| Decoration Adhering | polyacrylate & PP | rear lampholder | modified epoxy |
Electrics & Electronics
Due to unique advantages like excellent insulation performance, high structural strength, and good sealing performance, epoxy resin has been widely used in the insulation and packaging of high & low voltage electrical appliances, motors, and electronic components.
- Pouring of electrical and motor insulation packages, integral and fully sealed insulation packages for high & low voltage electrical appliances such as electromagnets, contactor coils, dry-type transformers, etc.
- Encapsulated insulation for devices with electronic components and wiring
- Electronic grade epoxy molding compound for plastic packaging of semiconductor components
- Engineering Plastics and Composite Materials
Epoxy engineering plastics mainly include epoxy molding plastics and epoxy laminated plastics for high-pressure molding, and epoxy foam plastics. Epoxy engineering plastics can also be regarded as a broad epoxy composite. The epoxy composite materials mainly include epoxy glass fiber reinforced plastics (general-purpose composite materials) and epoxy structural composite materials, such as pultrusion epoxy profiles, wind-molded hollow rotary products, and high-performance composite materials. Epoxy composite is an important structural material and functional material in high-tech fields such as the chemical industry, aviation, aerospace, and military industry.