Consumables

Momentive Specialty Chemicals Inc. to Unveil New Epikote Binder System 620 at JEC Show in Paris

Thursday 14. March 2013 - Automobile manufacturers are now better able to mass produce composite parts thanks to a new binder system introduced by Momentive Specialty Chemicals Inc. ("Momentive Specialty Chemicals", "MSC" or the "Company"). The EPIKOTE Binder System 620, introduced at the JEC Composites Show in Paris, enables mass production of automotive composite in hot-melt preforming processes.

EPIKOTE Binder System 620 is a one-component, cross-linkable powder binder that can be conveniently applied to carbon or glass fibers and fabrics as a powder using a hot-melt coating process line. In the softening temperature range between 80 – 90°C, the EPIKOTE Binder System 620 exhibits excellent application behavior and provides the fabric with very good workability and drape-ability.
Once the desired shape of preform is achieved, a short cure cycle above 120°C will initiate internal crosslinking of the binder. This higher-temperature fixation gives the preform the right stiffness for easy handling. It also ensures that the preform retains its dimensional stability even under demanding processes such as the high-pressure resin transfer molding (RTM) typical of automotive mass production processing of composite parts.
The EPIKOTE Binder System 620 is very compatible and complementary with the innovative fast-cure EPIKOTE/EPIKURE binder systems Momentive Specialty Chemicals has introduced for the Automotive Composite market. “Given the additional preform integrity provided by the cross-linkable binder, it is expected that process developers may be able to increase flow/mold fill rates of increasing complexity of preforms, further reducing the time needed for the RTM injection step,” said Dr. Roman Hillermeier, technology development manager for the Company.