A quick glance at the properties of Phenalkamine

Curing agents are an essential part in the manufacturing and construction industry. Their diversified features are the primary reason behind their increased use.

• In this post, I will share some interesting facts about the most popular curing agent, Phenalkamine.
• It first came to existence in the mid 1970s by the Cardolite Corporation Company.It is synthesized from CNSL (Cashew Nutshell Liquid), which is derived from the shell of cashews, like; (Cashew Tree, Anacardium Occidentale L).
• It provides good workable pot life to a substance, because of its feature, which provides very fast cure, even at low temperatures.
• It has an excellent property of resistance to moisture, good chemical resistance, and flexibility.
• Because of its unique properties Phenalkamine is used for; solvent-free industrial floor coatings, railcars, agricultural and construction equipment coatings, marine and offshore coatings, portable water coatings, and tank and pipe linings.
• Phenalkamine is also used for adhesive, automobile, and electrical potting applications.
• It is also used in manufacturing and construction industry. Its adhesion quality makes it useful in water as well. This is why it is used in marine applications, civil engineering, and industrial maintenance projects.
• The formation of this curing agent is done by using various products and additives. It offers a blend of both aliphatic aminesa properties and Polyamides characteristics.

Benefits of Phenalkamines

Considering the diverse range of properties of this curing agent, there are many benefits of this chemical, of which the major ones are-

• Corrosion resistance
• VOC solvent free
• Water resistance
• Low migration levels
• Faster recoating feature that helps in providing a rapid cure with no induction time, thus eventually reducing costly downtime of this agent.
• It can be used in all seasons.
• Fast cure at low temperatures (~40°F) is provided without affecting the pot life of the component.
• Its good surface tolerance feature makes it robust i.e. it can be used on rusty, cold, wet, or damp surfaces easily.