MAX GPE CLEAR – EPOXY RESIN STYROFOAM SAFE RV PANEL REPAIR GLUE LOW VISCOSITY SLOW SET

MAX GPE

EPOXY RESIN STYROFOAM SAFE RV PANEL REPAIR GLUE LOW VISCOSITY SLOW SET
MAX GPE A/B

GENERAL PURPOSE EPOXY

SLOW SETTING CLEAR EPOXY RESIN SYSTEM
THIS IS THE LOWEST COST EPOXY RESIN WITH BALANCE
PHYSICAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES

MAX GPE IS USED BY MANY OF OUR CUSTOMERS FOR:

  • RV Panel Repair Adhesive
  • Protective Water-Proofing Coating
  • Clear High Glass Finish
  • Casting Resin
  • Potting Compound
  • Adhesive For General Bonding
  • Bonds To Wood, Metals and Concrete Materials
  • Resin For General Fiberglassing Applications

Use these theoretical factors that relates to any undiluted epoxy resin as a guide

  • 1 Gallon = 231 Cubic Inches
  • 1 Gallon of resin can cover 1608 square feet (1 MIL OR 0.001 INCH CURED COATING THICKNESS)
  • 1 Gallon OF RESIN IS 128 OUNCES
  • 1 Gallon of mixed epoxy resin is 9.23 pounds
  • 1 Gallon of resin is 3.7854 Liters

MAX GPE A/B is a two-component epoxy based resin system designed to provide a broad range of mechanical and physical properties that is suitable for almost all types of epoxy resin applications. It can be utilized as a structural adhesive demonstrating excellent adhesion to wide selection of substrates, chemical resistant or protective coating, impregnating and laminating for composite applications, potting applications for electronics and as a casting resin for large and small applications.

RV Panel Repair Video Submitted By Customer

Part 1

Part 2

Safe to use on Polystyrene Foam

MAX GPE A/B is mixed two parts Resin to one part Curing Agent by weight or by volume (2:1). The mixed consistency is very low in viscosity, clear and easily poured or applied in to place resulting in bubble free castings. MAX GPE A/B has a 60 minutes gel time that allows adequate working time for casting, coating, bonding and potting or encapsulating applications.

MAX GPE A/B performs well as an adhesive for metals, alloys, plastic, wood, stones products, fiberglass, carbon fiber composites and concrete and other substrates that require high tensile shear strength properties. Higher adhesion performance can be achieved after a post cure cycle of 1 hour at 120oC.

MAX GPE A/B coating properties exhibit very high gloss, good color stability, high surface and excellent chemical resistance.
Optimized amounts UV inhibitors, antioxidants and stabilizers are incorporated with the MAX GPE A/B to provide added outdoor durability.
An aliphatic polyurethane coating should be applied to further improved resistance to UV degradation.

MAX GPE A/B can be used as a protective or decorative coating for metals, alloys, plastic, wood, stones products, fiberglass, carbon fiber composites and concrete and other substrates
Higher coating performance can be achieved after a post cure cycle of 1 hour at 120oC.

MAX GPE A/B is an excellent choice for composite fabrication using fiberglass, carbon fiber, Aramid, and other hybrid fabrics. Its low viscosity allows fast fabric wet-out resulting in minimal void and laminate porosity. Cured composites fabricated with
MAX GPE A/B exhibits exceptional mechanical properties such as impact resistance, compressive and tensile strength. Higher mechanical performance can be achieved after a post cure cycle of 1 hour at 120oC.

As a casting resin and potting compound, MAX GPE A/B demonstrates good dimensional stability excellent electrical insulative performance and low coefficient of expansion and contraction.
General mechanical properties are enhanced after a post cure cycle of 1 hour at 120oC.

Pre-Mix And Mixing Notes
Prepare all needed tooling and materials before mixing the resin and curing agent together.
Pour the desired amount of resin then the curing agent in a clean container and gently mix with a spatula or mixing blade until uniform blend is achieved.
Scrape the sides and bottom of the container to insure a thorough mix.
Pour or apply the resin directly onto the prepared surface and allow to cure for at least 24 to 36 hours.
The mixed resin will set-up in less than 2 hours and can be handled in 3 hours.

Physical Properties

Viscosity

900 cPs Mixed

Mix Ratio

100 parts A to 50 parts B by weight or volume

Working Time

65 Minutes at 200 Gram Mass

Peak Exotherm

160oC

Time To Reach Peak

80 Minutes

Density

1.10 g/cc Cured

Cure Time

1 to 3 days at 25oC

Heat Cure

2 Hours @ 25oC Plus 1 Hour @ 120oC

Set-To-Dry @ 10 Mil Film

6 Hours

Surface Dry

9 Hours

Handling Time

8 Hours

Mechanical Properties(1)

Test Criteria

Room Temp Cure

Room Temp + Heat Cure

Hardness

78 D

81 D

Izod Impact ft-lb/in

.13

.19

Tensile Shear Strength psi

3,100

3,765

Tensile Strength psi

9,600

12,300

Tensile Modulus psi

460,000

489,120

Ultimate Elongation %

3.8

2.3

Heat Distortion Temperature

84oC

110oC

Compressive Strength

12,300

13,000

24 Hours Water Boil

% Weight Gain

2.2

1.8

Electrical Properties (1)

 

@ 23oC

 @ 40oC

@ 60oC

@ 100oC

Dielectric Constant 100 Hz

ASTM D-150

 

4.7

 

4.7

 

4.7

 

5.4

Dissipation Factor 100Hz

3.4 x 10-3

3.1 x 10-3

3.5 x 10-3

6.9 x 10-3

Volume Resistivity

Ohm-cm

 

5.0 x 1015

 

3.4 x 1015

 

2.6 x 1014

 

2.4 x 1014

Dielectric Strength V/mil

1/8 Inch Thick

558

 

 

 

(1) Cured 2 hours at 80oC plus 3 hours 125oC

Cold Weather Notice

During the colder seasons the resin and curing agent should be warmed to at least 75°F to 80°F (21°C to 27°C) prior to use to reduce its viscosity, Reduce air bubble entrapment, maintain its working time and insure proper cure. In some cases the resin or part a may appear to be cloudy or solidified, which is an indication of resin crystallization.

DO NOT USE UNLESS PROCESSED

An epoxy resin’s physical property such as its viscosity and reactability are highly affected and influenced by temperature. Common and noticeable effects of cold temperature exposure are higher or thicker viscosity. Less accuracy in volumetric measurement due to its thicker consistency crystallized or solidified resin component will appear as a white wax-like consistency more bubble entrapment during mixing, slower reactivity, longer cure times, lower cured performance due to less homogeneous mixing. During shipping of the resin component may and can be exposed to temperatures below 50ºF and may crystallize the resin component (part A). This can be reversed with no adverse affect on its cured mechanical performance or shelf life. Simply warm the resin gently by placing it in a sealed plastic bag and immerse it in hot water or a warm room. Allow it to acclimate until it is uniformly 75ºF TO 80ºF maximum before adding the curing agent. Mixing the resin and curing agent above 80ºF will cause rapid polymerization and high exothermic heat that can exceed 300ºF in mass.

The cold temperature exposure can occur during transport or delivery of the kit were the package can be exposed to temperatures below 50°F and initiate the resin to crystallize or develop seed crystals. Once a seed crystal develops, crystallization can still occur even if stored at the proper storage temperature. Do not throw away or use the resin until it has been melted back to a free-flowing liquid phase by gentle heating 120°F to 150°F. The high purity epoxy component and the absence of any accelerators and other non-reactive impurities in its formulation are some of the many key factors that controls its high performance properties. The cold temperature will also make the resin much thicker than the stated viscosity and working time values as stated on the physical tables chart. This will reduce the polymer’s reaction rate and extend its cure time. This can rectified by pre-warming both component and using the mixed resin in a controlled temperature environment no cooler than 70°F.

An epoxy resin’s physical property such as its viscosity and reactability are highly affected and influenced by temperature. Common and noticeable effects of cold temperature exposure are higher or thicker viscosity. Less accuracy in volumetric measurement due to its thicker consistency crystallized or solidified resin component will appear as a white wax-like consistency more bubble entrapment during mixing, slower reactivity, longer cure times, lower cured performance due to less homogeneous mixing. During shipping of the resin component may and can be exposed to temperatures below 50ºF and may crystallize the resin component (part A). This can be reversed with no adverse affect on its cured mechanical performance or shelf life. Simply warm the resin gently by placing it in a sealed plastic bag and immerse it in hot water or a warm room. Allow it to acclimate until it is uniformly 75ºF TO 80ºF maximum before adding the curing agent. Mixing the resin and curing agent above 80ºF will cause rapid polymerization and high exothermic heat that can exceed 300ºF in mass.

COMMON AND NOTICEABLE THE EFFECTS OF COLD TEMPERATURE EXPOSURE

  • higher or thicker viscosity
  • less accuracy in volumetric measurement due to its thicker consistency
  • crystalazied or solidified resin component that will appear as a white wax-like consistency
  • more bubble entrapment during mixing
  • slower reactivity
  • longer cure times
  • lower cured performance due to none full cure polymerization

To counter act the affects of the cold temperature exposure, warm the resin gently by placing it in a plastic bag and immerse it in hot water or a warm room and allow it to acclimate until it is a very clear and liquid in consistency allow the resin to cool 75°F to 80°F maximum before adding the curing agent.

VIEW AND DOWNLOAD EPOXY PROCESSING INSTRUCTIONS: COLD WEATHER NOTICE

To melt the crystallized resin faster higher processing temperature can be utilized by placing it in a plastic bag or make sure that the lid is secure to prevent water from entering the container and immerse it in hot water , 140°F to 180°F until all traces of the crystallized resin is once again a clear liquid. The container can withstand 212°F (boiling point of water); the resin should revert back into a liquid in less than 20 minutes. allow the resin to cool below 80°F before adding the curing agent. A polymer resin’s physical property such as its viscosity and cure rate are highly affected by temperature.

Caution: Although the polymerzation has slowed due to the colder ambient conditions mixing the resin and curing agent above 80°F as it will cause rapid polymerization and high exothermic heat build-up that can exceed 300°F exothermic heat when kept in mass. Do not heat and mix the resin or curing agent beyond 90°F as it may cause rapid and uncontrollable reaction. the best working condition is to pre-warm the resin and curing agent to 70°F to 75°F prior to mixing and allow it to cure at an ambient temperature no lower than 65°F for at least 24 hours.

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support@TheEpoxyExperts.com

BASIC EPOXY RESIN MIXING AND USAGE APPLICATIONS

This page provides a concise help source regarding the methodology and general workings of composite materials and their basic engineering for the first time user, experimenters and the seasoned experts

Please email us if you wish to contribute any information and experiences for others to learn from and we will gladly post them with gratitude. You can contact us at our toll free number 877-403-8008 or email your response or any request you would like us to feature on this page.

This is a free informational page and no purchase is needed to view, download and use its content. We ask that its content be used for personal use only. Let us know via email if there is a particular facet in polymer chemistry and its application you would like for us to feature in this page. All the information posted on this page is free for your personal review, reference and download. The goal of this page is to provide the user the best and safest way to use a reactive polymers and chemicals of the same nature. It will also demonstrate some proper techniques and fabricating factors that only decades of experience in manufacturing, engineering and actual use can provide. This page is a collection of thousands of hours of our research and development efforts.

Please visit our complete collection of instructional videos.

Basic personal protective equipments and handling apparatus must be worn when handling any chemicals.

Basic Epoxy Instructions

The proper cure and final performance of any epoxy resin system is highly dependent on the quality and thoroughness of the mixing quality.  The resin and curing and curing agent must be mixed to homogeneous consistency to achieve proper cure and tack free results.

Basic Epoxy Usage Avoiding Exothermic Runaway Reaction

The following video demonstrates the basic reaction process of a polymerization and the amount of heat energy it can released based on the amount or volume of the resin being mixed and confinement configuration of the mixture.

Additional Information

Epoxy Resin System Basics

Epoxy resins or similar resins such as polyester, polyurethane acrylics are members of plastic polymer family. It can be further classified into two commercially significant groups: Thermo-set resins and thermo-plastics polymers.

Thermo-plastics are polymers commercially supplied in either in solid slabs, films, pellets and powders or in liquid solutions. Its physical state can be repeatedly transposed by varying the temperature it is exposed to (heat energy) Or liquefied by dissolving in to a solvent to create a liquid solution. The solvent can be as plain as tap water To complex petroleum-based solvents such as acetone, alcohols or kerosene.

This phase shifting can be repeated many times over with minimal distortion to its basic chemical structure. Good examples of a thermo-plastic polymers are recyclable plastic bottles or candle wax and Ordinary house paint.

Candle wax is solid at room temperature but it can be phase shifted into a liquid by temperature elevation or diluted into a solution with aromatic solvents such as kerosene. Typical house paint dries to a solid film but it can be reverted or stripped back into a liquid by re-introduction of a diluent or solvent (paint stripper) by reversing the method that induce the phase shifting, a thermo-plastic will revert back to its opposite phase.

The next type of polymer classification, are Thermo-set polymers. These are generally supplied as a liquid but can also be can also be a solid or thick paste. To induce physical change, an addition of another agent such as a catalyst or a curing agent is added. Mixed together it will initiate a chemical reaction that will permanently alter its chemical structure to a completely new type of compound that can be in a liquid form or solidified plastic. Once the chemical reaction is complete it cannot be reverted back to it’s original constituents. This reaction is called polymerization or molecular cross-linking.

In this case, our focus will be on epoxy based polymers. Upon mixture of an epoxy compound with a curing agent, polymerization called “addition-reaction” occurs. The once liquid resin and curing agent cures to a solid plastic. This reaction is one-way, upon completion of the reaction (molecular cross-linking), the solid polymer is un-meltable and yields excellent chemical resistance from solvents to acids.

Yellowing

Yellowing, discoloration and mechanical performance degradation of epoxy resin are commonly caused by  prolonged ultraviolet and high temperature exposure.

In general, most commercially significant sales and availability of epoxy resins are of aromatic compounds (Epichlorohydrin of bisphenol a), which provides the possibility of room temperature reactivity, excellent mechanical properties, chemical resistance and general ease of use.

It is mirrored by “aliphatic based polymer compounds” which yields higher performance characteristics but requires more involved processing to achieve full reactive polymerization (heat curing for example ) and are in general higher in cost per unit volume.

Aromatic compounds yield superior mechanical properties such as tensile strength, compression resistance, chemical resistance and retention of its properties through a wide range of service temperature. However, aromatic compounds are susceptible to degradation from ultraviolet energy exposure. Although chemical additives and proprietary manufacturing processes have shown a dramatic reduction of degradation, it will eventually demonstrate a declination of its cured mechanical property given enough time.

All of our max epoxy resin is aromatic-based and are formulated with UV stabilizers and other anti-oxidant additives to reduce the rate of degradation from ultraviolet exposure. In some formulations, such as the MAX CLR and MAX 1618 resin system, it utilizes an aliphatic (modified) and cycloaliphatic curing agent which yields the best color clarity and stability. We also process the aromatic-based epoxy resin through a proprietary degassing and free-radical reduction process that further improves its low yellowing and darkening performance.

The MAX epoxy resin systems are also solvent free and formulated with chemicals of a low order of toxicity, none flammable and supplied with full disclosure of its hazardous rating documented in the material safety data sheet (msds)

It is highly recommended that safety equipments, such as gloves, protective eyewear and adequate ventilation must be utilized and considered When handling these chemicals. Direct skin contact should be avoided as it may cause contact dermatitis or skin sensitization. Please review the msds and technical data sheet before using any reactive chemicals for more safety information.

Conversion Table

COVERAGE AND YIELD PER GALLON

USE THESE THEORETICAL FACTORS TO DETERMINE COVERAGE TO UNFILLED EPOXY RESIN AS A GUIDE FOR RESIN USAGE. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS A 1.5-GALLON KIT AND THESE NUMBERS ARE BASED ON THEORETICAL PHYSICAL DATA. IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER THE TYPE OF SUBSTRATE TO BE COATED IN REGARDS TO ITS SURFACE ROUGHNESS AND POROSITY OR ABSORBENCY, TO DETERMINE COVERAGE ON A FLAT SMOOTH SURFACE,

DETERMINE THE LENGTH X WIDTH X THICKNESS IN INCHES TO OBTAIN THE CUBIC VOLUME INCH OF THE MIXED RESIN NEEDED.

USE THE FOLLOWING EQUATION:

1 GALLON OF RESIN COVERS 1608 SQUARE FEET PER 1 MIL OR 0.001 INCH CURED COATING THICKNESS ON A SMOOTH AND NONE ABSORBENT SUBSTRATE (A PANE OF GLASS FOR EXAMPLE)

(LENGTH X WIDTH X COATING THICKNESS)/ 231 CUBIC INCHES PER GALLON = CUBIC INCHES OF COATING NEED

50 INCHES X 36 INCHES X 0.010 (10 MILS) = 18 CUBIC INCHES

18/231= .0779 GALLON OF MIXED RESIN

USE THESE FACTORS TO CONVERT GALLON NEEDED INTO VOLUMETRIC OR WEIGHT

MEASUREMENTS USE THE FOLLOWING FACTORS BY THE GALLON NEEDED:

FOR EXAMPLE:

231 X .0779 = 17.99 CUBIC INCHES

OR

4195 GRAMS X .0779 = 326.79 GRAMS

1 GALLON VOLUME CONVERSION
1 GALLON = 231 CUBIC INCHES

1 GALLON = 128 OUNCES

1 GALLON = 3.7854 LITERS

1 GALLON = 4 QUARTS

1 GALLON = 16 CUPS

COVERAGE TABLE
FLUID GALLON MASS CONVENTIONS
GALLON OF MIXED UNFILLED EPOXY RESIN = 9.23 POUNDS

GALLON OF MIXED UNFILLED EPOXY RESIN = 4195 GRAMS