Type

Advantages

Disadvantages

Major applications

Aliphatic amines

and adducts

Low viscosity;

ambient cure

temperature; little

color; low cost

Short pot life; rapid heat evolution; critical mix ratio;

some are moderately toxic;

high moisture absorption; blush; carbonation; limited high temperature performan(<100℃)

Flooring; civil

engineering;

marine and

industrial coatings;

adhesives; small

castings

Cycloaliphatic

amines

Low viscosity; long

pot-life; room temperature cure and heat-curable;

adhesion to wet cement; good color;

low toxicity; good

electrical,mechanical,

thermal properties

(high Tg)

Slower reactivity;

high costs

Flooring; paving;

aggregate;

industrial coatings;

adhesives; tooling;

composites;

castings

Aromatic amines

Excellent elevated temperature performance(150◦C); good chemical resistance; long pot life; low moisture absorption

Solids; incompatibility with resins; long cure cycles at high temperature(150◦C); toxicity

High performance

composites and

coatings;

adhesives;

electrical

encapsulation

Amidoamines

Low viscosity; reduced volatility; good pot life; ambient cure temperature; convenient mix ratios; good toughness

Poor performance at

high temperature

(<65◦C); some

incompatibility

with epoxies

High solids,

solvent-free

coatings; floorings;

concrete bonding;

troweling

compounds

Polyamides

Good mix ratios; pot life; RT cure; good concrete wetting; flexibility; low volatility and toxicit

High viscosity; low temperature performance; poor color; higher cost

Marine and

maintenance

coatings; civil

engineering;

castings; adhesives

Anhydrides

Low exotherm; good thermal(highTg),

mechanical,

Long cure cycles at high temperature(200◦C)

Composites; castings;

potting;

encapsulation

Catalytic

Electrical properties; low shrinkage andviscosity; long  pot life; little color high temperature resistance

Brittle;

moisture-sensitive

Adhesives; prepregs;

electrical

encapsulation;

powder coatings

Dicyandiamide

Good electrical

properties; high

temperature

resistance; latent

systems

Incompatibility with

epoxy resins

Electrical laminates;

powder coatings;

single-package

adhesives

Carboxylicterminated

polyesters

Good weatherability,

corrosion

resistance, and

mechanical

properties; low cost

Poor chemical

resistance

Powder coatings

Isocyanates

Fast cure at low

temperature; good

flexibility and

solvent resistance

Moisture-sensitive;

toxic

Powder coatings;

maintenance

coatings

Phenol–

formaldehyde,

novolacs

Good chemical

resistance,

electrical

properties, shelf

stability, and

compatibility with

epoxies; high

temperature

resistance

High melting solids;

high temperature

cure; poor UV

stability

Molding compounds;

powder coatings;

electrical

laminates

Polysulfides and

polymercaptans

RT rapid cure times;

flexible systems;

moisture

insensitive

Poor performance at

high temperature;

odorous

Consumer adhesives;

sealants; traffic

paint

Melamine–

formaldehyde

Good color and

hardness; stable

one-component

systems

High temperature

cure

Stove paints; can

coatings

Urea–formaldehyde

Stable

one-component

systems; little

color; low cost

High temperature

cure; formaldehyde

emission

Fast-bake enamels;

stove primers; can

and drum coatings

Phenol–

formaldehyde

resoles

Stable

one-component

systems; excellent

chemical resistance

High temperature

cure; brittle; gold

color

Baked enamels; can,

drum and pail

coatings; high

temperature

service coatings