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Resins used for these applications ing to faster process times and less they show a very high exotherm
can be of various chemical types. work in progress. Polyurethanes and high level of shrinkage on cure.
Epoxy resins have been widely show lower exotherm during cure This can cause component and cir-
used for many years – they are than epoxies – the heat generated cuit damage. Also the high level of
generally hard and tough and ex- is not usually a problem, even for odour from styrene containing sys-
hibit low shrinkage on cure. They fast cure systems. Conventional tems makes them unpleasant and
are characterised by an excellent polyurethanes can be subject to difficult to use.
level of mechanical properties, attack by water, especially at high
good high temperature perform- temperatures. Polybutadiene-based
ance and good adhesion to a wide urethanes are available, however, One and two-part resins
variety of substrates – chemical and these are very resistant to wa-
resistance is also good. The cross- ter attack, both during the curing Electrolube offers a comprehensive
linking or curing process gener- process and in the final cured state. range of epoxy and polyurethane
ally takes place slowly especially Electrolube differentiate between resins for potting, encapsulation
where small volumes of resin are the two types of polyurethane in and other applications. The great
involved. Fast cure hardeners can the numbering system that is used majority of these are two-part sys-
be used but these generate a lot of – UR 50** and UR 51** materials tems where a resin has to be mixed
M A T E R I A L S
heat during cure, giving rise to a are based on polybutadiene chem- with a hardener in a defined ratio
high exotherm, which can damage istry. UR 55** and 56** materials before use. Two-part resin systems
electronic components and cause are conventional urethanes. The are available in bulk or kits – the
high mechanical stresses on both ease of variation of process charac- latter have the resin and hardener
components and the circuit. teristics and final properties with pre-weighed into containers in
polyurethane resins is leading to the correct ratio, thus avoiding
their increasing use in electronics the necessity for weighing by the
Polyurethane resins and electrical encapsulation. user. Resinpacks are also available
– these consist of a plastic bag di-
Polyurethane resins are elastomer- Silicone resins tend to be more ex- vided into two compartments by
A C C E S S O R Y
ic or rubbery in their cured state pensive than epoxies or urethanes, a removable clip and rail. Once
and are preferred where circuits to but find a use where high continu- again the resin and hardener are
be potted contain delicate compo- ous operating temperatures (above in the correct ratio and also, af-
nents such as ferrites or glass reed 180oC) are involved. Also the exo- ter the clip and rail have been
switches. It is much easier to tai- thermic temperature rise with sili- removed, both parts can be thor-
lor the cure speed with urethane cone systems is very low indeed. oughly mixed in the bag without
systems and the usable life and gel introducing air. The bag can then
time of these can be adjusted to Polyester systems have been used be used as a dispenser to pot the
suit customer requirements, lead- for potting and encapsulation, but unit concerned. Electrolube do
ity epoxy resin formulated using spectrum of applications able. When using polyurethanes in
a proprietary blend of diluents mix and dispense machines, it will
of both types – it gives rapid and pounds known as aromatic amines be necessary to protect both compo-
efficient air displacement from give rise to higher continuous op- nents from moisture, either by fit-
small complex circuitry without erating temperatures in the cured ting desiccant traps to the tanks or
the necessity for evacuating to re- product, but although they are less by flushing the tanks continuously
move entrapped air. Non-reactive dermatitic and sensitising, there with dry Nitrogen. The isocyanate
diluents can be used at very high are increasing concerns about is the hazardous part of the for-
levels in polyurethanes to give soft their carcinogenicity. Amine hard- mulation and should not be heated
potting compounds that can eas- eners are often supplied as com- or sprayed as this will increase the
A C C E S S O R Y
ily be removed from circuitry for plex blends of different materials, levels in the atmosphere and hence
fault investigation or repair. Elec- and involve specialist formulating the sensitising effect on the lungs.
trolube’s UR 5048 is an example of skills in their own right. Organic If there are two hydroxy groups on
such a resin – UR 5044 is a flame acid anhydrides give low viscosity each polyether or polyester chain
retardant version of this approved epoxies with very high continu- (a diol), a soft cured product results
to Underwriters Laboratories UL ous operating temperatures, but – hardness can be increased by us-
94 V-0. UR 5083 utilises a dilu- suffer from the disadvantage that ing increasing amounts of triol
ent of different chemical type and, they usually need to be supplied (three hydroxy groups per chain).
when cured up, gives a soft self- as three-part rather than two-part Polybutadiene based urethanes