|
Introduction |
Application |
||
|
Pot Life and Curing Monitor for Polyurethane and Epoxy Formulations |
||
 Fig. 1: Test device* SubCASE for measuring the pot life and the curing of Coatings, Adhesives, Sealants and Elastomers (C.A.S.E.). * covered by several patents |
|
|
|
|
||
|
SubCASE is a laboratory device for measuring the pot life and the curing behaviour of Coatings, Adhesives, Sealants and Elastomers (C.A.S.E.). It can be used for PU as well as for Epoxy formulations. SubCASE meets simple handling demands and provides reliable measurement data. The new mechanical design combines polarization measurement by a CMD-Sensor (Curing Monitor Device) with two temperature measurements. For reproducible and production near test conditions, the test container can be temperature controlled. |
||
|
The dielectric polarization is a key parameter for cross-linking and compound formation. It gives insight into the electro-chemical process during the transition from a reactive mixture to a cured compound. The CMD-Sensor is mounted onto the base plate of the SubCASE device and covered with a cling film thus avoiding any direct contact with the material to be tested. Polarization data is obtained from the very beginning of the chemical reaction. The core temperature of the sample is measured with a thermocouple (TC), which is positioned in the centre of the test sample. For testing under process near conditions, the CMD-Sensor can be heated to any reaction relevant temperature up to 110°C (180°C optional). The user-friendly software SUBCASE controls the measurement cycle. It acquires, displays and evaluates the measurement data (Fig. 2). |
||
|
When starting a new test the CMD-Sensor is covered with a cling film and a cardboard cylinder is fixed over the flange of the temperature controlled base plate. The mixing time, the test time and the heater temperature are free selectable parameters. The formulation and additional comments can be inserted by the user in extra input fields. After mixing the reactive liquid is poured into the test container commencing data acquisition. The measurement data is displayed online in a graph (Fig. 2). After the completion of the test physical values evaluated from the curves are listed together with the other input data in a parameter list. The pot life and the curing is calculated from the dielectric polarization. Up to ten tests can be displayed and printed superimposed using the curve comparison function of the software SUBCASE. |
||
 Fig. 2: Curves of the dielectric polarization D and the reaction temperature T1 of a casting compound measured with the POT LIFE MONITOR SubCASE and displayed with the software SUBCASE. The D master and the T master are generated as margins for QC purpose. |
||