Catalyx™ H210 demonstrates 40% higher pull-off strength in 1K epoxy adhesive
Calyxia’s Catalyx™ H210 epoxy accelerator has demonstrated a 40% increase in pull-off adhesive strength in a 1K epoxy adhesive. Catalyx™ H210, an encapsulated imidazole-based epoxy accelerator, shows significantly improved adhesive strength over comparable formulations using unencapsulated imidazoles
Improved adhesion combined with the benefits of 1K processing
Formulating 1K epoxy adhesives requires a careful balance between stability, cure response and final adhesive performance. Conventional unencapsulated imidazole accelerators can provide efficient epoxy curing, but their intrinsic reactivity can also place constraints on formulation stability and processing.
Catalyx™ H210 uses Calyxia’s unique and patented encapsulation technology to control the availability and reactivity of the imidazole curing agent within the adhesive formulation. This has now been shown also to significantly improve the adhesive performance in pull-off tests.
This improvement is particularly relevant for applications where substrate adhesion and strength are critical performance requirements.
Implications for epoxy adhesive formulators
The results demonstrate that encapsulated imidazole technology can offer benefits beyond latency alone. By controlling the curing agent within the formulation, Catalyx™ H210 provides formulators with an additional lever to optimize the relationship between:
- Storage stability and latency
- Cure response and processing conditions
- 1K formulation convenience
- Final adhesive strength
The technology is therefore of particular interest for high-performance 1K epoxy adhesives used in demanding industrial applications, where a combination of long shelf life, reliable curing and high bond strength is required.
A new approach to 1K epoxy formulation
The 40% improvement in pull-off strength observed with Catalyx™ H210 demonstrates the potential of encapsulated imidazole curing technology to deliver a meaningful performance advantage over conventional unencapsulated systems.
For adhesive formulators, Catalyx™ H210 offers an opportunity to rethink the formulation of 1K epoxy systems and explore higher-performance formulations without sacrificing the processing advantages of a one-component adhesive.
