Curing Agents for Epoxide Resins

These are known variously as curing agents, hardeners, activators or catalysts. They are required to convert liquid and solid epoxide resins into tough infusible thermoset polymers. Most curing agents promote this curing reaction by opening the epoxide ring and become chemically bound into the resin in the process. Others, the catalytic curing agents, cause self- polymerisation of the epoxide resin through the epoxide groups. These reactions may occur at room temperature with some curing agents or at elevated temperatures with others.