Mechanical Properties of Epoxy Compounds Based on Unmodified Epoxy Resin Modified with Boric Acid as an Antiseptic

Abstract

The objective of this study was to compare the selected mechanical properties of epoxy compounds based on an unmodified epoxy resin with those containing an antiseptic as a modifying agent. Experiments were carried out on twelve epoxy compounds made of an epoxy resin based on bisphenol A (BPA) with a basic epoxide amount of 0.48–0.51 mol/100 g. Three curing agents were used: one polyamide (a polyaminoamide curing agent) and two amines (one was an adduct of aliphatic amine and aromatic glycidyl ether, and the other was an adduct of cycloaliphatic amine). The epoxy compounds were modified by adding an antiseptic in the form of powdered boric acid (H3BO3) in three amounts: 0.5 g, 1.0 g, and 1.5 g. The cured modified and unmodified epoxy compounds were subjected to compressive strength testing and microscopic examination. The experimental results showed that the epoxy compounds containing adduct of aliphatic amine (triethylenetetramine) and aromatic glycidyl ether as the amine curing agent, i.e., E5/ET/100:18, had the highest compressive strength out of all the tested epoxy compounds, with the highest value of 119 MPa obtained for the epoxy compound modified by the addition of 1.0 g boric acid. The epoxy compounds modified with boric acid acquired antiseptic properties and, for most cases, exhibited a higher compressive strength than the unmodified epoxy compounds (not lower than that specified by the manufacturer for unmodified epoxy compounds).