Hycat™AC-4 is our newest anhydride catalyst. Hycat™ AC-4 performance is similar to Hycat™ 3100S but on average has slightly faster gel times. Like 3100S, Hycat™ AC-4 has unique low temperature and latency characteristics that allow formulators to reconsider the use of anhydrides where previously high initial curing temperatures coupled with the use of rapid cure catalysts such as amines or imidazoles would generate excessive internal heat that were inhibitive. Hycat™ AC-4 provides a more even distribution of the heat evolved from a polymer reaction leading to the production of consistently uniform cures that are free from cracks and voids. This is particularly useful in the curing of composites where materials that have been wet out with low viscosity resins require a quick gel but are sensitive to excessive exotherms which can lead to hidden internal defects in the final cure. Similarly thick parts that generate large amounts of internal heat that is difficult to dissipate will benefit greatly from the use of Hycat™ AC-4.
Get it going with Hycat™!
Hycat™ AC-4 can be used alongside higher onset rapid cure catalysts such as imidazoles or quaternary salts to take full advantage of Hycat™ AC-4’s low onset capabilities and unique latency to get your reaction going at lower temperatures and then hit it with the heat to finish quickly and tailor the mechanical properties of the final product.
Hycat™ AC-4 is a liquid so it is easy to handle, easy to load, easy to adjust and is readily cleaned up with typical organic solvents. Hycat™ AC-4 accelerates materials with monomeric, dimeric or polymeric functional groups and will perform very well in the presence of a number of popular additives and toughening agents. This provides formulators with great flexibility to meet desired cure temperatures, cure cycles, pot life, glass transition temperature and other mechanical properties.
Typical catalyst loadings range from 1 to 5 phr (parts per hundred resin) however higher or lower concentrations can be used depending on the formulation and desired end result. Cured products will have a light green tint, the intensity of which is determined by catalyst loading.
Hycat™ AC-4 is REACH and RoHS compliant and manufactured under ISO 9002 quality assurance control standards. Free 60g (60mL) evaluation samples are available via our sample request page or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
| Typical Physical Properties | Quantities Available | |||
|
Physical State |
Liquid |
|
Packaging (HDPE All) |
Net Wt |
|
Appearance (color) |
Emerald Green |
|
200L Drums |
200 Kgs (440 Lbs) |
|
Viscosity (cP) |
300 - 500 @ 25o C |
|
50L Drums |
50 Kgs (110 Lbs) |
|
Density |
1.0 @ 25o C |
|
20L Jerricans |
20 Kgs (44 Lbs) |
|
Shelf Life |
2 years |
|
4L Bottles |
4 Kgs (8.8 Lbs) |
Recommended Uses:
Hycat™ AC-4 is recommended for use in epoxy/anhydride formulations. Most epoxy resins, including Aliphatic, Cycloaliphatic, Phenol-Type Di-and Tri-Glycidyl Ethers, Novolacs and many other epoxy resins will benefit using Hycat™ AC-4.
Hycat™ AC-4 will also accelerate the reaction of other small ring compounds such as aziridines, oxetanes and imides and promote the reaction of an epoxide with a carboxylic acid however Hycat™ 2000S and Hycat™ OA are recommended for acid systems.
Typical commercial applications include:
|
Filament Winding |
Composites |
Pultrusion |
|
Potting & Encapsulation |
Resin Infusion |
Spray Layup |
|
Sheet Moulding Composites |
Polymer Coatings |
Wet Layup |
Additional Information:
Hycat™ AC-4 loadings typically range from 1 to 5 phr (parts per hundred epoxy resin) however higher or lower concentrations can be used depending on the formulation and desired end result. Cured products will have a light green tint, the intensity of which is determined by catalyst loading.
DTCS recommends that for evaluations conducted with Hycat™ AC-4 that Hycat™ 3100S and Hycat™ SM-3 also be evaluated. All of these products perform in a similar manner but depending upon the formulation, each has unique synergistic differences that could be advantageous.
Hycat™ AC-4 is based on an activated (DTCS Proprietary Process) oxo-centered-trinuclear Chromium +3 complex. Chromium +3 compounds (aka trivalent chromium), are generally considered to be non-toxic by the EPA and are not to be confused with hazardous Chromium +6 compounds (aka Hexavalent Chromium). In fact Chromium +3 compounds are sold as over the counter dietary supplements such as chromium picolinate and Chromium +3 is considered to be an essential trace element for the human metabolism. For more toxicological information on Chromium +3 please see the US Dept of Health & Human Services, National Institute of Health website at https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Chromium-HealthProfessional/
HycatTM AC-4 – Comparative Data
The following tables and graphs provide comparative DSC and viscosity data for basic epoxy formulations catalyzed by Hycat™ AC-4 and other commonly used epoxy catalysts at approximately 2% catalyst loading by weight (~ 4 phr).
Bisphenol A Diglycidyl Ether & Methyltetrahydrophthalic Anhydride
TABLE AC-1
|
Resin System |
phr |
DSC Analysis 25oC – 250oC @ 10oC/min |
Time to 100k cP (3) |
|||||
|
Onset oC |
Peak oC |
Endset oC |
Energy J/g |
Tg oC (4) |
25oC (hrs) |
80oC (min) |
||
|
BADGE (1) MTHPA (2) Hycat™ AC-4 |
100:86:4 |
70 |
127 |
173 |
294 |
123 |
6.6 |
16 |
(1) Bisphenol A Diglycidyl Ether, Epon 828 (Momentive Specialty Chemicals)
(2) Methyltetrahyrdophthalic Anhydride, Lindride 2 (Lindau Chemicals)
(3) 15g mass by Brookfield LVDV-II & Thermosel module; Time to 100,000 cP reported at set temperature
(4) 15g mass cured 2hrs @ 100oC + 2hrs @ 150oC; final thickness 5.5mm; Double DSC scan,
50oC-200oC @ 10oC/min; Midpoint Method; *Note: Higher Tg’s can be realized with formula and cure optimization
GRAPH AC-1
GRAPH AC-2
GRAPH AC-3
GRAPH AC-4
GRAPH AC-5
GRAPH AC-6
GRAPH AC-7 
GRAPH AC-8
Bisphenol A Diglycidyl Ether & Methylhexahydrophthalic Anhydride
TABLE AC-2
|
Resin System |
phr |
DSC Analysis 25oC – 250oC @ 10oC/min |
Time to 100k cP (3) |
|||||
|
Onset oC |
Peak oC |
Endset oC |
Energy J/g |
Tg oC (4) |
80oC (min) |
25oC (hrs) |
||
|
BADGE (1) MHHPA (2) Hycat™ AC-4 |
100:89:4 |
69 |
136 |
183 |
252 |
135 |
19 |
8.3 |
(1) Bisphenol A Diglycidyl Ether, Epon 828 (Momentive Specialty Chemicals)
(2) Methylhexahyrdophthalic Anhydride, Lindride 52D (Lindau Chemicals)
(3) 15g mass by Brookfield LVDV-II & Thermosel module; Time to 100,000 cP reported at set temperature
(4) 15g mass cured 2hrs @ 100oC + 2hrs @ 150oC; final thickness 5.5mm; Double DSC scan,
50oC-200oC @ 10oC/min; Midpoint Method; *Note: Higher Tg’s can be realized with formula and cure optimization
GRAPH AC-9
GRAPH AC-10
GRAPH AC-11
GRAPH AC-12
GRAPH AC-13
GRAPH AC-14
GRAPH AC-15
GRAPH AC-16
GRAPH AC-17
Cycloaliphatic Epoxide & Methyltetrahydrophthalic Anhydride
TABLE AC-3
|
Resin System |
phr |
DSC Analysis 25oC – 250oC @ 10oC/min |
Time to 100k cP (3) |
|||||
|
Onset oC |
Peak oC |
Endset oC |
Energy J/g |
Tg oC (4) |
80oC (min) |
25oC (hrs) |
||
|
Cycloaliphatic (1) MTHPA (2) Hycat™ AC-4 |
100:116:4 |
91 |
126 |
157 |
294 |
148 |
25 |
8.7 |
(1) Cycloaliphatic Epoxide, Lindoxy 190 (Lindau Chemicals)
(2) Methyltetrahyrdophthalic Anhydride, Lindride 2 (Lindau Chemicals)
(3) 15g mass by Brookfield LVDV-II & Thermosel module; Time to 100,000 cP reported at set temperature
(4) 15g mass cured 2hrs @ 100oC + 2hrs @ 150oC; final thickness 5.5mm; Double DSC scan,
50oC-200oC @ 10oC/min; Midpoint Method; *Note: Higher Tg’s can be realized with formula and cure optimization
GRAPH AC-18
GRAPH AC-19
GRAPH AC-20
GRAPH AC-21
GRAPH AC-22
GRAPH AC-23
GRAPH AC-24
Cycloaliphatic Epoxide1 & Methylhexahydrophthalic Anhydride2
TABLE AC-4
|
Resin System |
phr |
DSC Analysis 25oC – 250oC @ 10oC/min |
Time to 100k cP (3) |
|||||
|
Onset oC |
Peak oC |
Endset oC |
Energy J/g |
Tg oC (4) |
80oC (min) |
25oC (hrs) |
||
|
Cycloaliphatic (1) MHHPA (2) Hycat™ AC-4 |
100:120:4 |
88 |
136 |
170 |
302 |
175 |
29 |
9.3 |
(1) Cycloaliphatic Epoxide, Lindoxy 190 (Lindau Chemicals)
(2) Methylhexahyrdophthalic Anhydride, Lindride 52D (Lindau Chemicals)
(3) 15g mass by Brookfield LVDV-II & Thermosel module; Time to 100,000 cP reported at set temperature
(4) 15g mass cured 2hrs @ 100oC + 2hrs @ 150oC; final thickness 5.5mm; Double DSC scan,
50oC-200oC @ 10oC/min; Midpoint Method; *Note: Higher Tg’s can be realized with formula and cure optimization
GRAPH AC-25
GRAPH AC-26
GRAPH AC-27
GRAPH AC-28
GRAPH AC-29
GRAPH AC-30
GRAPH AC-31
