Epoxy resin reactive diluent compositions

1. An epoxy resin reactive diluent composition comprising an epoxy resin diluent (A) and a resin compound (B), wherein the epoxy resin diluent (A) comprises a cis, trans-1,3- and -1,4-cyclohexanedimethylether moiety and the resin compound (B) comprises one or more epoxy resins other than the epoxy resin diluent (A).

2. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises from about 0.5 percent to about 99 percent by weight of the epoxy resin diluent (A) based upon the total weight of the composition.

3. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the epoxy resin diluent (A) comprises:

(i) a diglycidyl ether of cis-1-3-cyclohexanedimethanol; a diglycidyl ether of trans-1,3-cyclohexanedimethanol; a diglycidyl ether of cis-1,2-cyclohexanedimethanol; and a diglycidyl ether of trans-1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol;

(ii) a diglycidyl ether of cis-1,3-cyclohexanedimethanol; a diglycidyl ether of trans-1,3-cyclohexanedimethanol; a diglycidyl ether of cis-1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol; a diglycidyl ether of trans-1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol; and any oligomer thereof;

(iii) a diglycidyl ether of cis-1,3-cyclohexanedimethanol; a diglycidyl ether of trans-1,3-cyclohexanedimethanol; a diglycidyl ether of cis-1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol; a diglycidyl ether of trans-1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol; a monoglycidyl ether of cis-1,3-cyclohexanedimethanol; a monoglycidyl ether of

trans-1,3-cyclohexanedimethanol; a monoglycidyl ether of cis-1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol; and a monoglycidyl ether of trans-1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol; or

(iv) a diglycidyl ether of cis-1,3-cyclohexanedimethanol; a diglycidyl ether of trans-1,3-cyclohexanedimethanol; a diglycidyl ether of cis-1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol; a diglycidyl ether of trans-1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol; a monoglycidyl ether of cis-1,3-cyclohexanedimethanol; a monoglycidyl ether of

trans-1,3-cyclohexanedimethanol; a monoglycidyl ether of cis-1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol; a monoglycidyl ether of trans-1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol; and any oligomer thereof.

4. The composition according to claim 3 , wherein the epoxy resin diluent (A) comprises a controlled amount of the monoglycidyl ether of cis-1,3-cyclohexanedimethanol; monoglycidyl ether of trans-1,3-cyclohexanedimethanol; monoglycidyl ether of cis-1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol; and monoglycidyl ether of trans-1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol: and where in the epoxy resin diluent (A) comprises from about 0.1 percent to about 90 percent by weight of the monoglycidyl ether of cis-1,3-cyclohexanedimethanol; monoglycidyl ether of trans-1,3-cyclohexanedimethanol; monoglycidyl ether of cis-1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol; and monoglycidyl ether of trans-1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol based on the total weight of the epoxy resin diluent (A).

5. A curable epoxy resin composition comprising a blend of (a) an epoxy resin reactive diluent composition and (b) at least one curing agent and/or at least one curing catalyst; wherein the epoxy resin reactive diluent composition comprises an epoxy resin diluent (A) and a resin compound (B); and wherein the epoxy resin diluent (A) comprises a cis, trans-1,3- and -1,4-cyclohexanedimethylether moiety and the resin compound (B) comprises one or more epoxy resins other than the epoxy resin diluent (A).

6. The composition according to claim 5 , wherein the curing agent comprises a material having at least one reactive hydrogen atom per molecule, and the epoxy resin reactive diluent composition comprises at least one epoxide group, and the reactive hydrogen atom in the curing agent is reactive with the epoxide group in the epoxy resin reactive diluent composition; and wherein the curing agent comprises from about 0.80:1 to about 1.50:1 equivalents of reactive hydrogen atom in the curing agent per equivalent of epoxide group in the curable epoxy resin composition.

7. The composition according to claim 5 further comprising at least one additive; and wherein the additive comprises at least one of a cure accelerator, a solvent, a diluent other than the epoxy resin reactive diluent (A), a filler, a pigment, a dye, a flow modifier, a thickener, a reinforcing agent, a mold release agent, a wetting agent, a stabilizer, a fire retardant agent, a surfactant, and any combination thereof.

8. The composition according to claim 7 , wherein the diluent other than the epoxy resin diluent (A) comprises at least one of a non-reactive diluent, a monoepoxide diluent, a diluent other than the epoxy resin diluent (A), a reactive non-epoxide diluent, and any combination thereof.

9. A process comprising curing the curable epoxy resin composition according to claim 5 .

10. The process according to claim 9 , wherein the process comprises partially curing the curable epoxy resin composition to form a B-stage product and subsequently curing the B-stage product completely at a later time.

11. A cured epoxy resin prepared by the process according to claim 9 .

12. An article comprising the cured epoxy resin according to claim 11 ; and wherein the article is at least one of a coating, an electrical or structural laminate, an electrical or structural composite, a filament winding, a molding, a casting, and an encapsulation.