Bitrez launch world’s first REACH compliant Ketamine epoxy curing agent with improved gloss and enhanced cure performance
Bitrez Ltd, Europe’s leading manufacturer and pioneer of specialist polymers and chemicals, has launched the world’s first Ketamine epoxy curing agents to combat the withdrawal of conventional grades prohibited in Europe under REACH regulations. The new grades have been added to their already extensive Curamine cross-linking agents for epoxy resin product range.
The ketamines are characterised by low viscosity and long pot-life allowing formulation of epoxy systems that offer good working time and relatively fast thin film cure rate.
These attributes make them ideal as the principal curing agent or modifiers for other curing agents in the formulation of high solids, low VOC maintenance specialised marine coatings, flooring and adhesives.
Dominic Hopwood, Bitrez’s Resin Sales Manager, said: “Our new Ketamines grades are a great example of how Bitrez leads the way in continually pushing the boundaries of chemistry to provide our customers with innovate bespoke solutions for the gaps generated by removal of products, like conventional Ketamines, from the marketplace due to regulatory changes. The fact that our products also offer enhanced performance is one of the reasons why we are the go to resin manufacturer for the epoxy industry.”
Resin manufacturers were recently forced to withdraw conventional Ketamines from their product range because of REACh (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) compliance.
The new series of Ketamines added to the Curamine range have been designed to be compliant allowing continuity of supply in Europe.
Ketamine epoxy curing agents are ‘blocked amines’ which means they require atmospheric moisture to hydrolyse the product back to the amine and ketone from which the ketamine has been derived.
These blocked epoxy hardeners are especially useful for formulating long pot-life high solids systems or used to extend the pot life of high-solids, two-pack epoxy coatings.
