Semicarbazones as accelerators for curing epoxy resins

1. An epoxy resin composition comprising:

a) an epoxy resin with at least one reactive epoxy group;

b) at least one heat-activatable curing agent; and,

c) a curing accelerator comprising at least one semicarbazone of the general formula (I),

R 1 =branched or linear alkyl residue, cycloalkyl residue, aryl residue or alkyl aryl residue,

R 2 =H, branched or linear alkyl residue, cycloalkyl residue, aryl residue or alkylaryl residue, and

R 3 , R 4= simultaneously or mutually independently H, branched or linear alkyl residue, cycloalkyl residue, alkylaryl residue, aryl residue, heteroaryl residue or CN;

or

R 1 =branched or linear alkyl residue, cycloalkyl residue, aryl residue or alkylaryl residue,

R 2 =H, branched or linear alkyl residue, cycloalkyl residue, aryl residue or alkylaryl residue, and

R 3 and R 4 =alkylene with —(CH 2 ) n — and 2≦n≦11.

2. The epoxy resin composition of claim 1 , wherein

R 1 =methyl, ethyl, benzyl or phenyl,

R 2 =H, methyl, ethyl, benzyl or phenyl, and

R 3 , R 4 =simultaneously or mutually independently H, methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, isobutyl, benzyl or phenyl,

or

R 1 =methyl, ethyl, benzyl or phenyl,

R 2 =H, methyl, ethyl, benzyl or phenyl, and

R 3 and R 4 =alkylene with —(CH 2 ) n — and 2≦n≦6.

3. The epoxy resin composition of claim 1 , wherein the epoxy resin is selected from the group consisting of glycidyl polyethers of 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane (bisphenol A), glycidyl polyethers of bromine-substituted derivative of 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane (tetrabromobisphenol A), glycidyl polyethers of 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)methane (bisphenol F), glycidyl polyethers of novolak resins, glycidyl polyethers of aniline, glycidyl polyethers of substituted anilines, glycidyl polyethers of p-aminophenol and glycidyl polyethers of 4,4′-diaminodiphenylmethane.

4. The epoxy resin composition of claim 2 , wherein the epoxy resin is selected from the group consisting of glycidyl polyethers of 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane (bisphenol A), glycidyl polyethers of bromine-substituted derivative of 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane (tetrabromobisphenol A), glycidyl polyethers of 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)methane (bisphenol F), glycidyl polyethers of novolak resins, glycidyl polyethers of aniline, glycidyl polyethers of substituted anilines, preferably glycidyl polyethers of p-aminophenol and glycidyl polyethers of 4,4′-diaminodiphenylmethane.

5. The epoxy resin composition of claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat-activatable curing agent is selected from the group consisting of biguanides, ortho-tolylbiguanide (OTB), methylenedianiline (MDA, DDM), para-aminocyclohexylmethane (PACM), 3,3′-diaminodiphenyl sulfone (DDS), 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl sulfone (DDS) polyetheramines, dicyandiamide (DCD), dihydrazides of adipic acid dihydrazides of sebacic acid, anhydrides of pyromellitic acid, anhydrides of trimellitic acid, anhydrides of phthalic acid, phenol novolaks, cresol novolaks, and mixtures thereof.

6. The epoxy resin composition of claim 2 , wherein the at least one heat-activatable curing agent is selected from the group consisting of biguanides, ortho-tolylbiguanide (OTB), methylenedianiline (MDA, DDM), para-aminocyclohexylmethane (PACM), 3,3′-diaminodiphenyl sulfone (DDS), 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl sulfone (DDS) polyetheramines, dicyandiamide (DCD), dihydrazides of adipic acid dihydrazides of sebacic acid, anhydrides of pyromellitic acid, anhydrides of trimellitic acid, anhydrides of phthalic acid, phenol novolaks, cresol novolaks, and mixtures thereof.

7. The epoxy resin composition of claim 3 , wherein the at least one heat-activatable curing agent is selected from the group consisting of biguanides, ortho-tolylbiguanide (OTB), methylenedianiline (MDA, DDM), para-aminocyclohexylmethane (PACM), 3,3′-diaminodiphenyl sulfone (DDS), 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl sulfone (DDS) polyetheramines, dicyandiamide (DCD), dihydrazides of adipic acid, dihydrazides of sebacic acid, anhydrides of pyromellitic acid, anhydrides of trimellitic acid, anhydrides of phthalic acid, phenol novolaks, cresol novolaks, and mixtures thereof.

8. The epoxy resin composition of claim 4 , wherein the at least one heat-activatable curing agent is selected from the group consisting of biguanides, ortho-tolylbiguanide (OTB), methylenedianiline (MDA, DDM), para-aminocyclohexylmethane (PACM), 3,3′-diaminodiphenyl sulfone (DDS), 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl sulfone (DDS) polyetheramines, dicyandiamide (DCD), dihydrazides of adipic acid dihydrazides of sebacic acid, anhydrides of pyromellitic acid, anhydrides of trimellitic acid, anhydrides of phthalic acid, phenol novolaks, cresol novolaks, and mixtures thereof.

9. A method for curing epoxy resin compositions comprising:

mixing a heat-activatable curing agent with an epoxy resin composition to form a mixture; and,

adding at least one semicarbazone to the mixture, wherein the at least one semicarbazone is of the general formula (I)

wherein

R 1 =branched or linear alkyl residue, cycloalkyl residue, aryl residue or alkyl aryl residue,

R 2 =H, branched or linear alkyl residue, cycloalkyl residue, aryl residue or alkylaryl residue, and

R 3 , R 4 =simultaneously or mutually independently H, branched or linear alkyl residue, cycloalkyl residue, alkylaryl residue, aryl residue, heteroaryl residue or CN;

or

R 1 =branched or linear alkyl residue, cycloalkyl residue, aryl residue or alkylaryl residue, and

R 2 =H, branched or linear alkyl residue, cycloalkyl residue, aryl residue or alkyl aryl residue,

R 3 and R 4 =alkylene with —(CH 2 ) n — and 2≦n≦11.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the heat-activatable curing agent is selected from the group consisting of amines, amides, guanidines, biguanides, carboxylic anhydrides and polyphenols.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the heat-activatable curing agent is dicyandiamide.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one semicarbazone or mixtures of semicarbazones are used in a quantity of 0.1 to 15 wt. % relative to the epoxy resin composition.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one semicarbazone or mixtures of semicarbazones are used in a quantity of 0.1 to 15 wt. % relative to the epoxy resin composition.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one semicarbazone or mixtures of semicarbazones are used in a quantity of 0.1 to 15 wt. % relative to the epoxy resin composition.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one semicarbazone or mixtures of semicarbazones are used in a ratio of 0.1 to 15 parts, relative to 100 parts of the epoxy resin composition.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one semicarbazone or mixtures of semicarbazones are used in a ratio of 0.1 to 15 parts, relative to 100 parts of the epoxy resin composition.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one semicarbazone or mixtures of semicarbazones are used in a ratio of 0.1 to 15 parts, relative to 100 parts of the epoxy resin composition.

18. The method of claim 9 , further comprising supplying energy to the mixture.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the energy is supplied in form of heat.

20. A curing composition for curing epoxy resin compositions, comprising

a heat-activatable curing agent and

a curing accelerator comprising a semicarbazone of formula (I)

R 1 =branched or linear alkyl residue, cycloalkyl residue, aryl residue or alkylaryl residue,

R 2 =H, branched or linear alkyl residue, cycloalkyl residue, aryl residue or alkylaryl residue, and

R 3 , R 4= simultaneously or mutually independently H, branched or linear alkyl residue, cycloalkyl residue, alkylaryl residue, aryl residue, heteroaryl residue or CN;

or

R 1 =branched or linear alkyl residue, cycloalkyl residue, aryl residue or alkylaryl residue,

R 2 =H, branched or linear alkyl residue, cycloalkyl residue, aryl residue or alkylaryl residue, and

R 3 and R 4 =alkylene with —(CH 2 ) n — and 2≦n≦11.

21. The curing composition of claim 20 comprising a semicarbazone of formula (I)

wherein

R 1 =methyl, ethyl, benzyl or phenyl,

R 2 =H, methyl, ethyl, benzyl or phenyl, and

R 3 , R 4 =simultaneously or mutually independently H, methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, isobutyl, benzyl or phenyl,

or

R 1 =methyl, ethyl, benzyl or phenyl,

R 2 =H, methyl, ethyl, benzyl or phenyl, and

R 3 and R 4 =alkylene with —(CH 2 ) n — and 2≦n≦6.

22. The curing composition of claim 20 , wherein the semicarbazone is acetone 4,4-dimethyl semicarbazone, methyl ethyl ketone 4,4-dimethyl semicarbazone, dicyclopropyl ketone 4,4-dimethyl semicarbazone, methyl isobutyl ketone 4,4-dimethyl semi-carbazone, cyclopentanone 4,4-dimethyl semicarbazone, cyclohexanone 4,4-dimethyl semicarbazone, acetophenone 4,4-dimethyl semicarbazone, cyclopropyl phenyl ketone 4,4-dimethylsemicarbazone, benzophenone 4,4-dimethylsemicarbazone, acetone 4,4-diethyl semicarbazone, cyclopentanone 4,4-diethyl semicarbazone or acetophenone 4,4-diethyl-semicarbazone.

23. The curing composition of claim 20 , wherein the heat-activatable curing agent is selected from the group consisting of amines, amides, guanidines, biguanides, carboxylic anhydrides and polyphenols.

24. The curing composition of claim 20 , wherein the heat-activatable curing agent is dicyandiamide.