ep·ox·ide
n. In both senses also called epoxy.
1. A ring-shaped organic compound consisting of an
oxygen atom bonded to two other atoms, usually
of carbon, that are already bonded to each other.
2. A compound containing such a structure.
Epoxy, or Epoxy resin, is an adhesive which comes as 2 separate parts; a hardener and a resin. Epoxy is the standard adhesive used by most rocket builders for High Power Rockets, and is also used for industrial coating such as processing tanks.
Let’s Talk Epoxies:
Did You Know?
That epoxies were invented near the beginning of WWII and were considered to be a secret weapon by the allied forces. It was so secret that the chemistry was not released to the general public until six years after the war was over. You see the adhesive strength of even the first generation of epoxy was so strong that it was used in the assembling of the wings of the first American bombers. This meant far less rivets translating to far less weight in the planes giving them longer ranges and allowing them to carry more bombs. The famous raid over Tokyo by Tommy Doolitle was made possible because his B-29’s were light enough to take off from an aircraft carrier.
Still today, the wings and body of all military aircraft are comprises almost entirely of composite materials made from more advanced generations of epoxy resins. There are no metal alloys or other materials that would be strong enough, flexible enough, or durable enough to carry the weight of the electronics and armament of the latest tactical fighters through a nine G turn and not just shatter under the stress.
And Did You Know?
That some of the same chemists that help design the resins used to make the radar absorbing skin of our current stealth fighters and bombers also contributed to the backbone technology of several of our Arcor Composites and Coatings!
Do You Know What an Epoxy Resin Is?
The simple definition of an epoxy is a unique chemical compound that after formation has at least one free radical electron attached to each molecule. It is the existence of these free radicals seeking out other molecules to bond with that create their unique adhesive power and internal flexural strength.
To know more details see What is an epoxy?
Do You Know How These Unique Resins Systems Become Composites and Coatings and What Makes One Composite Better for Your Particular Application?
We now have a wide variety of epoxy resin systems available to us upon which to build our composite systems. Each has it’s own unique advantages and some disadvantages as it pertains to our uses in field applications. Therefore we have created a complete line of products each drawing on these individual benefits or combining of systems to create intermediates. We then blend in additives to enhance performance and user friendliness. And finally add certain inorganic fillers to produce high wear resistance, chemical resistance, flexibility, impact resistance or other properties.
To better understand these processes see our Basic Epoxy Primer, four pages filled with information that every buyer and user of epoxy composites and coatings should know.
How Do I Make The Best Choice For My Needs?
Arcor makes it easy! First we provide our customers with as much educational material as we can.
Then unlike our competitors we will discuss (with a few exceptions) what goes into each of our products.
Finally we have assigned an 5-digit ACC# to each of our products. This is an easy to understand code that compares between Arcor products on the basis of four basic properties. The first four digits provide a relative rank for viscosity, chemical resistance, wear resistance, and heat resistance, respectively. The lower individual index number indicates better performance. This code is designed to help you decide the right balance of properties need for your particular application needs.