Epoxy adhesives are generally more resistant to a wide variety of liquid environments than other structural adhesives. Acrylate resins are only one of several families that are compatible with epoxy chemistry. Acrylate monomers are extremely versatile building blocks that readily polymerize or copolymerize with a variety of other monomers. There are several types of epoxy acrylate hybrids that are possible.
RESULTING PROPERTIES
Epoxy polyacrylate adhesives find use where conventional epoxy adhesives are generally used but a fast cure is required. Conventional epoxy resins lack the ability to fully cure at temperature below 10°C. The epoxy polyacrylate resins react readily at low temperature and very rapidly at ambient temperatures. In addition to their fast cure rates at ambient temperatures and great reactivity at low temperatures, the epoxy polyacrylate adhesives provide other advantageous properties. These include:
Inherently low viscosity
Good physical strength and toughness
Superior wetting characteristics
Good adhesive properties
Good film forming properties.
Typical starting formulations for rapid setting, room temperature curing epoxy acrylate adhesive formulations are shown in the above table
