Cardolite offers a unique line of cardanol-based epoxy resins, diluents, and modifiers that provide formulators with valuable tools to meet certain target properties. Cardolite portfolio is comprised of reactive and non-reactive diluents that not only lower viscosity, but also improve anti-corrosion properties, flexibility, and early water resistance. These cardanol-based diluents allow formulators to achieve performance and workability in zero and low VOC coatings and adhesives. In addition, we offer a difunctional glycidyl ether resin and a polyglycidyl ether epoxy novolac to formulators that need to increase flexibility of the system without compromising barrier properties. Cardolite also offers non-CNSL monoglycidyl ethers as an option for formulations that can’t be changed to CNSL-based materials.
DILUENTS FROM RENEWABLE SOURCE ENABLE LOW VOC FORMULATIONS
Cardolite’s line of cardanol-based reactive and non-reactive epoxy diluents are an effective way to reduce viscosity without the use of solvents. All cardanol derived grades carry the benefits of high hydrophobicity and therefore, excellent water resistance. Additionally, these diluents provide increased flexibility and impact resistance due to the long aliphatic chain in their backbone. Moreover, cardanol’s aromatic ring improves chemical resistance of those derivatives. Those combined properties help ensure our diluents have a positive effect on systems overall performance.
The Ultra LITE 513 family consists of monofunctional epoxy diluents that are excellent alternatives to traditional glycidyl ethers. The Ultra LITE 2020 family is made of multi-purpose diluents that can also help lengthen gel time. Lastly, the NX-202X line represents various cardanol grades suitable for use as diluents in various systems that include epoxy and polyurethane chemistries. Furthermore, cardanol grades act as accelerators between epoxy and amines. Hence, they are suitable as nonyl phenol replacements. Both cardanol grades and Ultra LITE 2020 can be alternatives to Benzyl Alcohol with appropriate adjustments in viscosity and cure speed in formulations.
HIGH BIO-CONTENT EPOXY RESINS AND MODIFIERS
Cardolite NC-514 and NC-514S are flexible difunctional glycidyl ether epoxy resins. The chain of 8 carbons separating the aromatic groups allows this resin to be used in conjunction with traditional epoxy resins to increase coating flexibility, abrasion resistance, and water and chemical resistance without adversely affecting other properties.
Cardolite NC-547 is a polyglycidyl ether epoxy novolac resin derived from cardanol. This resin can be used in combination with standard epoxy resins to bring additional flexibility and longer pot life to coatings without adversely affecting chemical and water resistance.
Cardolite LITE 2100(R) are low color and low viscosity CNSL modified hydrocarbon resins. They are designed to enable high solids and solvent free formulations by lowering the viscosity of epoxy resins more efficiently than typical phenol based hydrocarbon resins and by improving overall system compatibility for better film formation. These products show good hardness development while providing improved flexibility and impact resistance. Their high hydrophobicity results in excellent water resistance, and more importantly, excellent corrosion protection on immersed and vapor exposed surfaces. Both products show very good UV resistance with excellent gloss retention for use in lighter color coatings.