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Onto™ EP1132 is a range of functional surface treatments that can be used to promote adhesion of two-part polyurethane and epoxy coatings to difficult-tobond substrates such as engineering polymers, high performance (speciality) plastics and thermoplastic composites. The treatment can be applied to a substrate from solution using a range of coating methods to form a functional layer of material that is strongly bonded to the substrate surface. The new surface functionality is chemically compatible for bonding to polyurethane and epoxy coatings and the treatment has been shown to prevent delamination even under severe weathering conditions.

Functions: Adhesion Promoter, Coupling Agent

End Uses: 2K (2 component) Coating, Epoxy Coating, Flexography Ink, Gravure Ink, Inkjet Ink, Lacquers, Solventborne Coating, Waterborne Coating

Compatible Polymers & Resins: Epoxies (EP), Polyurethanes (PU), Silicones

Features: Chemical Resistance, Improved Cure Time, Improved Flexibility, Improves Adhesion, Weather Resistance

    Knowde Enhanced TDS

    Identification & Functionality

    CASE Ingredients Functions
    Technologies

    Features & Benefits

    Features

    Adhesion promotion of polyurethane and epoxy coatings

    Onto™ EP1000 provides adhesion promotion for two-part polyurethanes (2K PU) as well as for cationic and anionic epoxy systems because its functionality is suitable for covalent bonding with epoxide and isocyanate components. Bonding via a secondary mechanism also provides adhesion promotion to siloxane-based epoxies, silicones and solvent-based thermoplastic polyurethanes. It is fully compatible with solvent borne or waterborne PU/epoxy formulations because the layer is strongly bound to the substrate.

    Difficult-to-bond materials

    In many high performance products, engineering and speciality plastics are increasingly being used as replacements for metals because they provide significantly more favorable properties, including light weight, flexibility and chemical resistance. However, their excellent solvent and heat resistance also makes them extremely difficult to bond to because they are either highly crystalline or have no useful surface chemical functionality. For many high-end products, delamination can be catastrophic so that adhesion promotion of these materials becomes paramount. In many industries, corona or plasma treatment of the substrate is used to activate the surface before bonding, but such treatments are not always suitable. In some cases, the treatment is sufficiently harsh that surface damage occurs, and this can be particularly problematic for materials such as fibers in which the surface area is large in proportion to the bulk material. Significantly, the Onto™ EP1000 treatment modifies only the surface of the substrate without affecting the bulk properties of the material, but still give excellent adhesion promotion. Primers are often used to improve bonding to engineering and speciality plastics. Many of these treatments use either harmful solvents like xylene or chlorinated polymers, but owing to the regulations surrounding such materials, much effort aims to reduce or even completely remove these chemicals from manufacturing. Importantly, Onto™ EP1000 treatments do not require the use of harsh solvents such as xylene.

    Applications & Uses

    Compatible Polymers & Resins
    Compatible Substrates & Surfaces
    Processing and treatment

    All Onto™ materials are precursors to highly reactive carbenes. In the unactivated form they are stable to heat and light, and therefore Onto™ EP1000 can be shipped and stored in this stable form. The treatment is compatible with a variety of solvents and formulations to suit specific applications can easily be designed. An environmentally friendly alcohol/water mixture is ideal, and harmful solvents can be avoided in many applications. Once chemically activated, the treatment can be applied from solution to a substrate using standard wet-coat techniques such as dip, spray, flexo, K bar (meter rod), metred slot, gravure, spin and ink jet. The versatility in processing enables the use of Onto™ EP1000 treatments on a variety of material forms including sheets, films, powders, fibers and fabrics. A curing stage is required to generate the highly reactive carbene species, which then reacts and forms a bond to the substrate surface. This functional layer is now permanently bound to the surface, and any following treatment (lamination, coating, printing, etc) can be completed offline. This is in stark contrast to corona or plasma treatment and even some wet primer treatments, where longevity can be an issue and it is often necessary to bond the substrate within hours or days of treatment.