Epoxy Resin Composition

1 . An epoxy resin composition comprising an epoxy resin, a monool and/or a polyol and a carboxamide compound which comprises a carboxamide group having the structure —CO—NH 2 wherein the number of hydroxy equivalents per epoxy equivalent is 0.02-100 and preferably 0.03-50 and most preferably 0.05-10 and the number of carboxamide equivalents per epoxy equivalent is 0.0005-1 and preferably 0.005-0.7 and most preferably of 0.01-0.5.

2 . The epoxy resin composition according to claim 1 wherein the monool and/or the polyol has an average nominal functionality of 1-8 and an average molecular weight of 32-8000 and wherein the number of hydroxy equivalents per epoxy equivalent is 0.05-10.

3 . The epoxy resin composition according to claim 1 wherein the carboxamide compound has the structure NH 2 —CO—R wherein R is 1) hydrogen (—H), 2) —NR 1 R 2 , 3) hydrocarbyl having 1-20 carbon atoms and optionally comprising hydroxy, ether, halogen and/or amine groups, or 4) —R 3 —CO—NH 2 , wherein R 1 and R 2 , independently from each other, are selected from hydrogen, hydroxy, halogen and hydrocarbyl groups which hydrocarbyl groups have 1-10 carbon atoms and optionally comprise hydroxy, ether, halogen and/or amine groups and wherein R 3 is a bivalent hydrocarbon radical having up to 8 carbon atoms and mixtures of such compounds and wherein the number of carboxamide equivalents per epoxy equivalent is 0.01-0.5.

4 . The epoxy resin composition according to claim 1 wherein the carboxamide compound has the structure NH 2 —CO—R wherein R is 1) —NR 1 R 2 , 2) alkyl having 1-10 carbon atoms and optionally comprising 1-3 hydroxy and/or ether groups, 3) phenyl or 4) tolyl, wherein R 1 and R 2 , independently from each other, are selected from hydrogen, hydroxy, phenyl, tolyl and alkyl having 1-6 carbon atoms and optionally comprising an hydroxy and/or an ether group and mixtures of such compounds.

5 . A process for making a composition according to claim 1 wherein a mixture of the polyol and carboxamide compound is combined and mixed with the epoxy resin.

6 . A curable composition comprising a polyisocyanate composition, comprising a polyisocyanate, a lithium halide and a urea compound, having an average molecular weight of 500-15000 and optionally comprising biuret groups, and an epoxy resin composition according to claim 1 , wherein the number of moles of lithium halide per isocyanate equivalent ranges of from 0.0001-0.04 and the number of urea+biuret equivalents per isocyanate equivalent ranges of from 0.0001-0.4 and the number of epoxy equivalents per isocyanate equivalent ranges of from 0.003-1.

7 . The curable composition according to claim 6 , wherein the urea compound does not comprise other isocyanate-reactive groups than urea groups and wherein the number of urea+biuret equivalents per isocyanate equivalent is 0.001-0.2 and wherein the urea compound has been prepared by reacting a methylene diphenyl diisocyanate or a polyisocyanate comprising a methylene diphenyl diisocyanate or a mixture of these polyisocyanates with a polyoxyalkylene monoamine comprising oxypropylene groups in an amount of at least 50% by weight calculated on the total weight of the monoamine molecule and having an average molecular weight of 200-3000 and wherein the amine is a primary amine and wherein the number of urea+biuret equivalents per mole of lithium halide is 0.5-60.

8 . The curable composition according to claim 6 , wherein the polyisocyanate is a methylene diphenyl diisocyanate or a polyisocyanate composition comprising methylene diphenyl diisocyanate or a mixture of such polyisocyanates.

9 . The curable composition according to claim 6 , wherein the amount of lithium halide is 0.00015-0.025 moles per isocyanate equivalent.

10 . The curable composition according to claim 6 , wherein the lithium halide is lithium chloride.

11 . The curable composition according to claim 6 , wherein the epoxy resin is liquid at 20-25° C.

12 . A process for making a curable composition according to claim 6 , by combining and mixing the polyisocyanate composition described in claim 6 and the epoxy resin composition described in claim 6 , the amount of epoxy resin composition being such that the number of epoxy equivalents per isocyanate equivalent ranges from 0.003-1.

13 . A polyurethane polyisocyanurate material made by allowing a curable composition according to claim 6 to react at elevated temperature.

14 . A polyurethane polyisocyanurate material obtainable by allowing a curable composition according to claim 6 to react at elevated temperature.

15 . A process for making a polyurethane polyisocyanurate material according to claim 13 by allowing the curable composition according to claim 6 to react at elevated temperature.

16 . (canceled)