Development of next-generation one-component epoxy with high-temperature stability and flame retardancy

Groundbreaking improvements achieved with a novel latent curing agent offering exceptional storage stability even at high temperatures

2025-01-24

(Press-News.org) Two-component epoxies, which require mixing resin and curing agent before use, often suffer from issues such as mixing ratio errors, limited working times, and inconsistent curing. Additionally, they must be used immediately after mixing, leading to wasted residue. To address these challenges, one-component epoxies have gained attention. One-component epoxies come pre-mixed, making them easy to use, reducing processing time, and ensuring consistent quality without mixing. In particular, using latent curing agents allows curing to be triggered only under specific conditions (e.g., heat or UV exposure), significantly improving storage stability. However, conventional one-component epoxies are only stable at room temperature (below 25°C), limiting their storage under high-temperature conditions and making them prone to fire hazards.

Dr. Jaewoo Kim's research team at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST, President Sang-Rok Oh), in collaboration with Professor Chongmin Koo's team at Sungkyunkwan University, has developed a groundbreaking solution to overcome these limitations: the "Epoxy/MXene One-Component Solution." This innovative material consists of epoxy resin, polymeric imidazole-based latent curing agent particles, and a two-dimensional nanomaterial called MXene. By introducing a latent curing agent with suppressed reactivity in both physical and chemical ways, the team achieved storage stability for more than 180 days at a high temperature of 60°C-a remarkable improvement compared to conventional products that maintain stability for only about 40 days at 25°C. Furthermore, the MXene nanomaterial significantly enhances flame retardancy while also improving electrical conductivity and thermal stability.

The solution also demonstrates outstanding flame-retardant performance. It increases the limiting oxygen index (LOI) by 12% and reduces the peak heat release rate (pHRR) by 85%, achieving the highest V0 flame-retardant rating. This marks a significant improvement over conventional products, which are prone to fire hazards. Mechanically, the material excels with a 46% improvement in tensile strength and a 158% increase in impact strength, ensuring both stability and durability. The research team attributes these performance enhancements to the Diels-Alder reaction of the latent curing agent and the catalytic properties of MXene.

This innovative one-component epoxy shows high potential for applications in adhesives, coatings, and electromagnetic shielding materials. It is particularly promising as a next-generation high-performance composite material for the telecommunications, electronic devices, and construction industries. The team plans to further leverage MXene's high electrical conductivity to develop composites with electromagnetic shielding and Joule heating properties. This will enable a broad range of industrial applications and enhance global competitiveness.

Dr. Jaewoo Kim of KIST remarked, "This technology represents an innovative one-component epoxy that achieves both high-temperature storage stability and flame retardancy, making it highly applicable in industrial settings. Through our collaboration with Sungkyunkwan University, we aim to strengthen global competitiveness." Professor Chongmin Koo of Sungkyunkwan University emphasized, "MXene's unique two-dimensional nanomaterial properties make it versatile for developing composite materials with flame retardancy and thermal stability, highlighting the significance of this research.“

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KIST was established in 1966 as the first government-funded research institute in Korea. KIST now strives to solve national and social challenges and secure growth engines through leading and innovative research. For more information, please visit KIST’s website at https://eng.kist.re.kr/

This research was supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT (Minister Sang-Im Yoo) under the Nano and Materials Technology Development Program (2021M3H4A1A03047327), the National Research Council of Science & Technology (NST) under the Convergence Research Program (CRC22031-000), and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (Minister Deok-Geun Ahn) under the Materials and Components Technology Development Program (20010881) and Nano-Convergence Innovation Development Program (20020855). The research findings have been published in the latest issue of the international journal Advanced Materials (IF 27.4, JCR field ranking 1.9%).

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