Catalysts & Accelerators for Polyester Resins

Catalysts

K1 Catalyst - a medium activity catalyst for general purpose use.
Order ref: AOO 16041 25kg

Butanox LA - a low activity methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (MEKP) for general purpose use.
Order ref: AOO 16014 10Ogrm/1 kg/5kg AOO 16023 30kg

Butanox M50 - a medium activity MEKP for general purpose use.
Order ref: AOO 16015 10Ogrm/1 kg AAO 16016 5kg AOO 16017 30kg

Butanox HB050 - a high activity MEKP for general purpose use.
Order ref: AOO 16013 5kg AOO 16031 30kg

The above are methyl ethyl ketone peroxides (MEKP) for general purpose uses.

Trigonox 44B Catalyst - a high activity acetyl acetone peroxide (AAP) usually used for fast curing requirements in machine mould applications.
Order ref: AOO 16022 30kg

CATA 2000 - a high activity acetyl acetone peroxide (AAP) usually used for fast-curing requirements in mechanised processes and ESSENTIAL for curing RM2000.
Order ref: AAO 18593 1kg

CH50 Benzoyl Peroxide Lucidol Soluble Powder Catalyst - a 50% benzoyl peroxide soluble powder used for resin injection and cold press moulding in conjunction with an amine accelerator. They give a very rapid gelation and cure, but have the disadvantage that unpigmented mouldings yellow with age.
Order ref: AOO 16044 10Ogrm/1 kg/5kg  AOO16024 30kg

Note: Catalysts and accelerators must never be mixed directly together, since an uncontrollable reaction may result. Catalyst is a potentially hazardous material and the following code of practice should be strictly adhered to:

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS IN THE USE AND HANDLING OF PEROXIDE CATALYST

Handling
Always wear eye protection.Avoid contamination -work cleanly.
Measure and transfer in clean, labelled stainless steel, or polythene or similar containers, e.g.. buckets, used only for that purpose.
Transfer only what is needed at one time.
Store in original containers.
Do not smoke or have flames of any kind in the vicinity.
Do not use the containers for anything else, especially not accelerators.
Do not return the excess to the drum.
Do not spill or splash.

Construction of Store
Have cool building far from other hazards, electrical fittings outside if possible or at least flameproof. Brick or other non-combustible materials. Hard floor to facilitate cleaning and dealing with spillage. Small quantities - coal bunker is suitable. Larger amounts -special building.
Do not use windows allowing direct sunlight.
Do not have cloths, or flammable or absorbent materials in the store.
Do not have rusty windows and roof trusses.
Do not have cracked floors enabling spillage to seep into them.

Storage
Use store for organic peroxides exclusively. Keep clean and tidy. Lock at night, keep records and rotate the stock.
Dispose of old materials and samples. Allow air to circulate between the drums of product.
Do not use for other products which are metallic or can burn, especially not for accelerators.

Spillage
On hard surface absorb in sand, kieselghur, Vermiculite, etc. and dispose immediately.
Do not use rags or sawdust as they may be contaminated.
On clothes - remove clothes before peroxide penetrates to skin - WASH.
Do not leave in locker or corner.
On litter rags etc. may ignite - wash or take outside and dispose of.
Do not leave in corner.

Medical
Splash in eye.
Avoid at all costs. If splash occurs wash out AT ONCE with water or 2% sodium bicarbonate or 5% sodium ascorbate if available. Keep eye wash bottles available. Obtain medical attention.
Splash on skin.
Wash off with plenty of soap and water.
Swallowed.
Drink milk/water. Take to hospital for stomach lavage. If far from hospital make patient sick.

In Case of Fire
Organic peroxides will burn very fiercely and may even explode. Fight fire with plenty of water spray. Inform fire brigade of quantity and type of peroxide. Approach large fires from behind cover.

Disposal
Best method is burning. Mix with sand and with equal weight of sawdust. Burn on open ground in heaps up to 1 foot square. Ignite with burning rag on six foot pole.
If not possible add in small lots to 10% caustic soda or saturated sodium sulphite solution. DO NOT ADD CAUSTIC SODA TO THE PEROXIDE. Take care that reaction is complete before adding more.
Wall charts and detailed literature can be obtained on application to K & C Mouldings (England) Ltd.

Accelerators

Two types of accelerators are widely used. One type is based on soluble cobalt salts, and is effective with methyl ethyl kettle peroxide (MEKP) and the other type of accelerator consists of solutions of tertiary amines and is active with benzoyl peroxide. Two concentrations of cobalt accelerator are available 1% and 6% and the following factors are important when considering which type to use.
1. Dilute solutions such as NL49P are easier to measure and weigh when small amounts of resin are involved. For large batches of resin, NL51P is the most economical and results in the addition of less diluent.
2. When a high percentage of accelerator is required the use of dilute solutions in plasticiser may affect the physical properties of the moulding. Under these circumstances if dilute solutions must be used, styrene is the preferred diluent.

Dosage
For NL49 (1% cobalt) additions in the range 0.5 - 4% of the resin recommended, with correspondingly smaller amounts for the more concentrated solutions. As cobalt accelerators are blue in colour, where good colour properties are of prime importance in the finished laminate or casting the amount of accelerator used should be kept to a minimum.
Amine accelerators are used with benzoyl peroxide and will give quick gelation and cure. Used mainly in resin injection and cold press moulding but are prone to yellowing with age.