Hardeners and Catalysts

Hardeners are chemicals which are activated by accelerators or heat and promote gelling and curing of a polyester resin vinyl ester resin matrix. They start crosslinking reactions between resin and reactive monomers such as styrene. Methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (Mek-P) is active at room temperature for curing of polyesters and vinyl esters. Tert-Butyl peroxybenzoate (TBPO) is the preferred choice for heat curing productions such as pultrusion and hot press. Benzoyl Peroxide (BPO) is active over 80°C and also is used with amine accelerators at ambient temperature for hardening systems. Acetyl Acetone Peroxide (AAP), with its fast demolding time, is preferred choice for RTM. Phthalate free grades are recommended where needed.

Hardeners are chemicals which are activated by accelerators or heat and promote gelling and curing of a polyester resin vinyl ester resin matrix.

Commercial Name	Chemical Name / Structure			Room Temperature							Medium Temperature			High Temperature			VE
		Active Oxygen %	*SADT Value °C	Hand lay-up Spray-up	RTM	Polymer Concerete	Gelcoat	Amine Accelerated Putty	Chemical Bolting (Anchorage)	Button	Centrifugal Casting	Filament Winding	Continuous Laminate	Pultrusion	SMC-BMC	Engineered Stone	Vinyl ester
	Ketone Peroxides
Butanox M60	Methyl ethyl ketone peroxide	9,9	60	•	•	•	•			•	•	•	•				•
Luperox K10	Methyl ethyl ketone peroxide	9,9	60	•	•	•	•			•	•	•	•				•
Butanox M50	Low Reactivity Methly ethyl ketone peroxide	8,9	60	•	•	•	•			•	•	•	•				•
Butanox M50-A	Methly ethyl ketone peroxide (phthalate free)	8,8	60	•			•			•			•
Luperox K1-G	Methly ethyl ketone peroxide (phthalate free)	9,2	60	•			•			•			•
Trigonox 44-B	Acetylacetone Peroxide	4,1	60	•	•	•	•				•		•
Luperox K-3	Acetylacetone Peroxide	4,1	60	•	•	•	•				•		•
Butanox LPT	Low Reactivity Methyl ethyl ketone peroxide	8,5	60	•	•		•					•					•
Luperox Z11-G	Methly ethyl ketone perox. + Acetyl Acetone perox.	7,5	60	•		•					•	•
	Benzoyl Peroxides
Peroxan BP Paste F	Dibenzoyl peroxide	3,3	55					•	•
	Peresters
Trigonox C	tert. Butylperbenzoate	8,0	60											•	•	•
Trigonox 93	tert. Butylperbenzoate	6,5	55											•	•	•

Trigonox 29-C50	1,1-Di(tert-butylperoxy)-3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexane	5,3	60											•	•
Trigonox 29-B50	1,1-Di(tert-butylperoxy)-3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexane	5,3	60											•	•
Peroxan PK-295V	1,1-Di(tert-butylperoxy)-3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexane	5,3	60											•	•
	Cumylperoxides
Trigonox 239	Cumylhydroperoxide	4,6	60														•

Warning

Organic peroxides are unstable products which may undergo self-accelerating decomposition. It is strongly recommended to store at under 25°C (or at specific temperature stated by peroxide producer), in a dark place. Keep peroxides away from accelerators and promoters.
Users should add accelerators and promoters into the resin first. Then, after thoroughly mixing, add peroxides into the system.

*SADT (Self Accelerating Decomposition Temperature).