Epoxy resin hardener compositions and epoxy resin compositions containing such hardener compositions

1. A solid amino functional hardener composition comprising a reaction product of:

(i) a compound having at least one vicinal epoxy group; and

(ii) an amino alcohol having at least one amino group and at least one alcohol group, where the at least one amino group of the amino alcohol are primary amino groups and a mole ratio of amine groups of the amino alcohol is in excess of the epoxy groups of the compound having at least one vicinal epoxy group in the range of from 25:1 to 3:1.

2. The solid amino functional hardener composition of claim 1 , wherein the amino alcohol is an amino polyol.

3. The solid amino functional hardener composition of claim 1 , wherein the amino alcohol is selected from the group consisting of monoethanolamine, 2-amino-2-hydroxymethyl-1,3-propanediol and 2-amino-2-methyl-1,3-propanediol.

4. The solid amino functional hardener composition of claim 1 , wherein the compound having at least one vicinal epoxy group comprises a compound having two vicinal epoxy groups.

5. The solid amino functional hardener composition of claim 1 , wherein the compound having at least one vicinal epoxy group comprises a compound having the following formula:

wherein n is 0 or more.

6. The solid amino functional hardener composition of claim 1 useful as a hardener for one or more of the compounds selected from epoxy-, isocyanate-, carboxylic acid-, vinyl- and acrylic-functional resins.

7. The solid amino functional hardener composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition is dispersible in water.

8. The solid amino functional hardener composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition has a softening point of from about 30° C. to about 150° C.