A miniature park is a display of miniature buildings and models , usually as a recreational and tourist attraction open to the public. A miniature park may contain a model of a single city or town, often called a miniature city or model village , or it can contain a number of different sets of models.
71-636: Mini-Europe is a miniature park located in the Bruparck entertainment park, at the foot of the Atomium , in Brussels , Belgium. Mini-Europe has reproductions of monuments in the European Union and other countries within the continent of Europe on display, at a scale of 1:25. Roughly 80 cities and 350 buildings are represented. Mini-Europe receives 350,000 visitors per year and has a turnover of €4 million. Mini-Europe
142-440: A copolymer with polyfunctional curatives or hardeners . This curing is what produces the qualities of the substance such as resistance, durability, versatility, and adhesion. In principle, any molecule containing a reactive hydrogen may react with the epoxide groups of the epoxy resin. Common classes of hardeners for epoxy resins include amines, acids, acid anhydrides, phenols, alcohols and thiols. Relative reactivity (lowest first)
213-551: A branch of the Kinepolis cinema chain and the Océade tropical water park, which closed in 2018. Then-Prince Philippe of Belgium inaugurated the site on 1 June 1989 with Thierry Meeùs at the helm. Mini-Europe proved less profitable than the theme parks owned by the Meeùs family. The turnover was between 100 million and 120 million Belgian francs in the first few years. The Escurial Monastery ,
284-456: A calculated amount of bisphenol A and then a catalyst is added and the reaction heated to circa 160 °C (320 °F). This process is known as "advancement". As the molecular weight of the resin increases, the epoxide content reduces and the material behaves more and more like a thermoplastic . Very high molecular weight polycondensates (ca. 30,000–70,000 g/mol) form a class known as phenoxy resins and contain virtually no epoxide groups (since
355-418: A catalyst. The resulting material has ether linkages and displays higher chemical and oxidation resistance than typically obtained by curing with amines or anhydrides. Since many novolacs are solids, this class of hardeners is often employed for powder coatings . Also known as mercaptans, thiols contain a sulfur which reacts very readily with the epoxide group, even at ambient or sub-ambient temperatures. While
426-549: A class of reactive prepolymers and polymers which contain epoxide groups. The epoxide functional group is also collectively called epoxy . The IUPAC name for an epoxide group is an oxirane . Epoxy resins may be reacted ( cross-linked ) either with themselves through catalytic homo polymerisation , or with a wide range of co-reactants including polyfunctional amines, acids (and acid anhydrides ), phenols, alcohols and thiols (sometimes called mercaptans). These co-reactants are often referred to as hardeners or curatives, and
497-578: A cured network. This process is known as catalytic homopolymerisation. The resulting network contains only ether bridges, and exhibits high thermal and chemical resistance, but is brittle and often requires elevated temperature for the curing process, so finds only niche applications industrially. Epoxy homopolymerisation is often used when there is a requirement for UV curing, since cationic UV catalysts may be employed (e.g. for UV coatings ). Polyfunctional primary amines form an important class of epoxy hardeners. Primary amines undergo an addition reaction with
568-492: A distance. Model railways, rivers and roads may provide a continuation between miniature parks exhibits. Many Danish towns also have extensive miniature towns from historic periods (normally 1900s). Some of the most significant include: This article about an amusement park is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Epoxy Epoxy is the family of basic components or cured end products of epoxy resins . Epoxy resins, also known as polyepoxides , are
639-402: A hydroxy group, also the nitrogen atom of an amine or amide can be reacted with epichlorohydrin. The other production route for epoxy resins is the conversion of aliphatic or cycloaliphatic alkenes with peracids : In contrast to glycidyl-based epoxy resins, this production of such epoxy monomers does not require an acidic hydrogen atom but an aliphatic double bond. The epoxide group
710-424: A large extent as secondary plasticizers and cost stabilizers for PVC . Aliphatic glycidyl epoxy resins of low molar mass (mono-, bi- or polyfunctional) are formed by the reaction of epichlorohydrin with aliphatic alcohols or polyols (glycidyl ethers are formed) or with aliphatic carboxylic acids (glycidyl esters are formed). The reaction is carried out in the presence of a base such as sodium hydroxide, analogous to
781-399: A lesser extent, monoanhydrides, non-stoichiometric, empirical determinations are often used to optimize dosing levels. In some cases, blends of dianhydrides and monoanhydrides can improve metering and mixing with liquid epoxy resins. Polyphenols, such as bisphenol A or novolacs can react with epoxy resins at elevated temperatures (130–180 °C, 266–356 °F), normally in the presence of
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#1732851808617852-911: A low surface tension, it is added as a wetting agent (surfactant) for contact with glass fibres. Its reactivity to hardeners is comparable to that of bisphenol A. When cured, the epoxy resin leads to a thermosetting plastic with high chemical resistance and low water absorption. However, the commercial use of fluorinated epoxy resins is limited by their high cost and low T g . Epoxy resins diluents are typically formed by glycidylation of aliphatic alcohols or polyols and also aromatic alcohols. The resulting materials may be monofunctional (e.g. dodecanol glycidyl ether), difunctional ( 1,4-Butanediol diglycidyl ether ), or higher functionality (e.g. trimethylolpropane triglycidyl ether ). These resins typically display low viscosity at room temperature (10–200 mPa.s) and are often referred to as reactive diluents. They are rarely used alone, but are rather employed to modify (reduce)
923-414: A lower electron density than aromatics, cycloaliphatic epoxies react less readily with nucleophiles than bisphenol A-based epoxy resins (which have aromatic ether groups). This means that conventional nucleophilic hardeners such as amines are hardly suitable for crosslinking. Cycloaliphatic epoxides are therefore usually homopolymerized thermally or UV-initiated in an electrophilic or cationic reaction. Due to
994-417: A move away from the model village concept since the mid- to late 20th century towards a miniature park concept. Model villages are typically larger-scale, sit in a cohesive miniature landscape and allow viewing and physical interaction with the exhibits, such as publicly accessed streets and urban areas. Miniature parks however, are primarily concerned with the display of exhibits in their own right, viewed from
1065-610: A network with incomplete polymerisation, and thus reduced mechanical, chemical and heat resistance. Cure temperature should typically attain the glass transition temperature (T g ) of the fully cured network in order to achieve maximum properties. Temperature is sometimes increased in a step-wise fashion to control the rate of curing and prevent excessive heat build-up from the exothermic reaction. Hardeners which show only low or limited reactivity at ambient temperature, but which react with epoxy resins at elevated temperature are referred to as latent hardeners . When using latent hardeners,
1136-566: A variety of ways, including reacting with fatty acids derived from oils to yield epoxy esters, which were cured the same way as alkyds. Typical ones were L8 (80% linseed) and D4 (40% dehydrated castor oil). These were often reacted with styrene to make styrenated epoxy esters, used as primers. Curing with phenolics to make drum linings, curing esters with amine resins and pre-curing epoxies with amino resins to make resistant top coats. Organic chains maybe used to hydrophobically modify epoxy resins and change their properties. The effect of chain length of
1207-542: Is a common phenomenon for epoxy materials and is often of concern in art and conservation applications. Epoxy resins yellow with time, even when not exposed to UV radiation. Significant advances in understanding yellowing of epoxies were achieved by Down first in 1984 (natural dark aging) and later in 1986 (high-intensity light aging). Down investigated various room-temperature-cure epoxy resin adhesives suitable for use in glass conservation, testing their tendency to yellow. A fundamental molecular understanding of epoxy yellowing
1278-421: Is a highly effective and widely used accelerator, but is now increasingly replaced due to health concerns with this substance. The most widely used accelerator is 2,4,6-Tris(dimethylaminomethyl)phenol . Epoxy resin may be reacted with itself in the presence of an anionic catalyst (a Lewis base such as tertiary amines or imidazoles) or a cationic catalyst (a Lewis acid such as a boron trifluoride complex) to form
1349-806: Is a key technology used for toughening. Two part epoxy coatings were developed for heavy duty service on metal substrates and use less energy than heat-cured powder coatings . These systems provide a tough, protective coating with excellent hardness. One part epoxy coatings are formulated as an emulsion in water, and can be cleaned up without solvents. Epoxy coatings are often used in industrial and automotive applications since they are more heat resistant than latex-based and alkyd-based paints. Epoxy paints tend to deteriorate, known as "chalking out", due to UV exposure. Epoxy coatings have also been used in drinking water applications. Epoxy coatings find much use to protect mild and other steels due to their excellent protective properties. Change in color, known as yellowing,
1420-489: Is also sometimes referred to as an oxirane group. The most common epoxy resins are based on reacting epichlorohydrin (ECH) with bisphenol A , resulting in a different chemical substance known as bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (commonly known as BADGE or DGEBA). Bisphenol A-based resins are the most widely commercialised resins but also other bisphenols are analogously reacted with epichlorohydrin, for example Bisphenol F . In this two-stage reaction, epichlorohydrin
1491-406: Is approximately in the order: phenol < anhydride < aromatic amine < cycloaliphatic amine < aliphatic amine < thiol. While some epoxy resin/ hardener combinations will cure at ambient temperature, many require heat, with temperatures up to 150 °C (302 °F) being common, and up to 200 °C (392 °F) for some specialist systems. Insufficient heat during cure will result in
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#17328518086171562-453: Is called prepolymerization: A product comprising a few repeat units ( n = 1 to 2) is a viscous, clear liquid; this is called a liquid epoxy resin. A product comprising more repeating units ( n = 2 to 30) is at room temperature a colourless solid, which is correspondingly referred to as solid epoxy resin. Instead of bisphenol A, other bisphenols (especially bisphenol F ) or brominated bisphenols (e. g. tetrabromobisphenol A ) can be used for
1633-573: Is common to achieve the desired processing or final properties, or to reduce cost. Use of blending, additives and fillers is often referred to as formulating . All quantities of mix generate their own heat because the reaction is exothermic. Large quantities will generate more heat and thus greatly increase the rate of the reaction and so reduce working time (pot-life). So it is good practice to mix smaller amounts which can be used quickly to avoid waste and to be safer. There are various methods of toughening them, as they can be brittle. Rubber toughening
1704-406: Is connected to the epoxide group content. This is expressed as the " epoxide equivalent weight ", which is the ratio between the molecular weight of the monomer and the number of epoxide groups. This parameter is used to calculate the mass of co-reactant (hardener) to use when curing epoxy resins. Epoxies are typically cured with stoichiometric or near-stoichiometric quantities of hardener to achieve
1775-475: Is degraded at temperatures above 350 °F (177 °C). Some epoxies are cured by exposure to ultraviolet light. Such epoxies are commonly used in optics , fiber optics , and optoelectronics . Epoxy systems are used in industrial tooling applications to produce molds , master models, laminates , castings , fixtures , and other industrial production aids. This "plastic tooling" replaces metal, wood and other traditional materials, and generally improves
1846-433: Is first added to bisphenol A (bis(3-chloro-2-hydroxy-propoxy)bisphenol A is formed), then a bisepoxide is formed in a condensation reaction with a stoichiometric amount of sodium hydroxide. The chlorine atom is released as sodium chloride (NaCl) and the hydrogen atom as water. Higher molecular weight diglycidyl ethers (n ≥ 1) are formed by the reaction of the bisphenol A diglycidyl ether formed with further bisphenol A, this
1917-663: Is not present in these materials as it is in Bisphenol A and F resins, the UV stability is considerably improved. Halogenated epoxy resins are admixed for special properties, in particular brominated and fluorinated epoxy resins are used. Brominated bisphenol A is used when flame retardant properties are required, such as in some electrical applications (e.g. printed circuit boards ). The tetrabrominated bisphenol A (TBBPA, 2,2-bis(3,5-dibromophenyl)propane) or its diglycidyl ether, 2,2-bis[3,5-dibromo-4-(2,3-epoxypropoxy)phenyl]propane, can be added to
1988-625: Is the brainchild of Johannes A. Lorijn, who founded similar miniature parks in Austria and Spain. The park contains live action models such as trains, mills, an erupting Mount Vesuvius , and cable cars. A guide gives the details on all the monuments. At the end of the visit, the Spirit of Europe exhibition gives an interactive overview of the EU in the form of multimedia games. The park is built on an area of 24,000 m (300,000 sq ft). The initial investment
2059-658: The NEO project at the Heysel—a large shopping, residential and office project—and were originally due to close their doors at the end of 2013. This deadline was extended for a first time until the end of 2016. Océade ultimately closed in October 2018. Mini-Europe appeared to have an approved demolition permit in 2019. The 2020 season, marked by the COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium , was initially announced as
2130-908: The Palace of Westminster , the Nyhavn in Copenhagen , the Grand-Place/Grote Markt , the Arc de Triomphe , the Leaning Tower of Pisa , the Parthenon and the Brandenburg Gate were among the first models visible to visitors. Mini-Europe welcomed 300,000 visitors in 1998. With 350,000 visitors in 2012 and €4 million in turnover, Mini-Europe has become one of Brussels' leading attractions. In 2018, 390,000 admissions were recorded. Mini-Europe and Océade were threatened by
2201-576: The Trevi Fountain in 2019 to mark Mini-Europe's 30th anniversary filled this gap. In addition to static models, the park brings the site to life with a variety of animations: trains, windmills, sounds, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius , the fall of the Berlin Wall , gondolas in Venice , wire-guided lorries, etc. These animations are industrial prototypes designed to withstand the many hours of operation and
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2272-554: The 19th century, but it was only in the 1930s to 1950s that the genre became tourist attractions. Early examples include Bekonscot and Bourton-on-the-Water in the UK and Madurodam in The Hague. Most model villages and parks are built to a consistent scale ; varying from 1:76 as used by the intricately detailed Pendon in England up to the 1:9 scale of Wimborne Model Town . There has been
2343-712: The Government of Saxony-Anhalt (Germany), the Jahrtausendturm in Magdeburg . In collaboration with the Slovenian Government, Prešeren Square in Ljubljana was inaugurated with several Slovenian symbols. The Brussels Grand-Place/Grote Markt model cost €375,000 to make. The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela required more than 24,000 hours of work. Until 2018, no monuments from Rome were represented. The inauguration of
2414-401: The amino groups may react as slowly as some of the aromatic amines. Slower reactivity allows longer working times for processors. Temperature resistance generally increases in the same order, since aromatic amines form much more rigid structures than aliphatic amines. Aromatic amines were widely used as epoxy resin hardeners, due to the excellent end properties when mixed with a parent resin. Over
2485-533: The amusement park, so a search was made for a location where it could open as a separate park. Mini-Europe was eventually built on the old site of the Meli Heysel/Heizel amusement park, a branch of the West Flanders -based Meli Park , which had closed in 1986. The initial investment was of 50 million Belgian francs . Mini-Europe opened in 1989 as part of Brussels' Bruparck entertainment park, which also housed
2556-489: The best physical properties. Novolaks are produced by reacting phenol with methanal ( formaldehyde ). The reaction of epichlorohydrin and novolaks produces novolaks with glycidyl residues , such as epoxyphenol novolak (EPN) or epoxycresol novolak (ECN). These highly viscous to solid resins typically carry 2 to 6 epoxy groups per molecule. By curing, highly cross-linked polymers with high temperature and chemical resistance but low mechanical flexibility are formed due to
2627-717: The commercially used epoxy monomers are produced by the reaction of a compound with acidic hydroxy groups and epichlorohydrin . First a hydroxy group reacts in a coupling reaction with epichlorohydrin, followed by dehydrohalogenation . Epoxy resins produced from such epoxy monomers are called glycidyl -based epoxy resins. The hydroxy group may be derived from aliphatic diols , polyols (polyether polyols), phenolic compounds or dicarboxylic acids . Phenols can be compounds such as bisphenol A and novolak . Polyols can be compounds such as 1,4-butanediol . Di- and polyols lead to glycidyl ethers . Dicarboxylic acids such as hexahydrophthalic acid are used for diglycide ester resins. Instead of
2698-849: The cross-linking reaction is commonly referred to as curing . Reaction of polyepoxides with themselves or with polyfunctional hardeners forms a thermosetting polymer , often with favorable mechanical properties and high thermal and chemical resistance. Epoxy has a wide range of applications, including metal coatings , composites, use in electronics, electrical components (e.g. for chips on board ), LEDs, high-tension electrical insulators , paintbrush manufacturing, fiber-reinforced plastic materials, and adhesives for structural and other purposes. The health risks associated with exposure to epoxy resin compounds include contact dermatitis and allergic reactions, as well as respiratory problems from breathing vapor and sanding dust, especially from compounds not fully cured. Condensation of epoxides and amines
2769-407: The different seasons (frost, rain, heat). Ground cover plants, dwarf trees, bonsais and grafted trees are used alongside miniature monuments, and the paths are adorned with bushes and flowers. These paths are accessible for Persons with Reduced Mobility (PRM) . At the end of the tour, the area reserved for the European Union gives a brief presentation of its history, its successes, its culture,
2840-405: The efficiency and either lowers the overall cost or shortens the lead-time for many industrial processes. Epoxies are also used in producing fiber-reinforced or composite parts. They are more expensive than polyester resins and vinyl ester resins , but usually produce stronger and more temperature-resistant thermoset polymer matrix composite parts. Machine bedding to overcome vibrations is a use in
2911-511: The epoxide group to form a hydroxyl group and a secondary amine. The secondary amine can further react with an epoxide to form a tertiary amine and an additional hydroxyl group. Kinetic studies have shown the reactivity of the primary amine to be approximately double that of the secondary amine. Use of a difunctional or polyfunctional amine forms a three-dimensional cross-linked network. Aliphatic, cycloaliphatic and aromatic amines are all employed as epoxy hardeners. Amine type hardeners will alter both
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2982-462: The epoxy formulation . The formulation may then be reacted in the same way as pure bisphenol A. Some (non-crosslinked) epoxy resins with very high molar mass are added to engineering thermoplastics, again to achieve flame retardant properties. Fluorinated epoxy resins have been investigated for some high performance applications , such as the fluorinated diglycidether 5-heptafluoropropyl-1,3-bis[2-(2,3-epoxypropoxy)hexafluoro-2-propyl]benzene. As it has
3053-672: The epoxy resin and hardener may be mixed and stored for some time prior to use, which is advantageous for many industrial processes. Very latent hardeners enable one-component (1K) products to be produced, whereby the resin and hardener are supplied pre-mixed to the end user and only require heat to initiate curing. One-component products generally have shorter shelf-lives than standard 2-component systems, and products may require cooled storage and transport. The epoxy curing reaction may be accelerated by addition of small quantities of accelerators . Tertiary amines, carboxylic acids and alcohols (especially phenols) are effective accelerators. Bisphenol A
3124-449: The formation of bisphenol A-diglycidyl ether. Also aliphatic glycidyl epoxy resins usually have a low viscosity compared to aromatic epoxy resins. They are therefore added to other epoxy resins as reactive diluents or as adhesion promoters . Epoxy resins made of (long-chain) polyols are also added to improve tensile strength and impact strength. A related class is cycloaliphatic epoxy resin, which contains one or more cycloaliphatic rings in
3195-401: The high functionality, and hence high crosslink density of these resins. There are two common types of aliphatic epoxy resins: those obtained by epoxidation of double bonds (cycloaliphatic epoxides and epoxidized vegetable oils ) and those formed by reaction with epichlorohydrin (glycidyl ethers and esters). Cycloaliphatic epoxides contain one or more aliphatic rings in the molecule on which
3266-549: The linear epoxy resin with suitable curatives to form three-dimensional cross-linked thermoset structures. This process is commonly referred to as curing or gelation process. Curing of epoxy resins is an exothermic reaction and in some cases produces sufficient heat to cause thermal degradation if not controlled. Curing does induce residual stress in epoxy systems which have been studied. The induced stresses may be alleviated with flexibilisers. Curing may be achieved by reacting an epoxy with itself (homopolymerisation) or by forming
3337-435: The low dielectric constants and the absence of chlorine, cycloaliphatic epoxides are often used to encapsulate electronic systems, such as microchips or LEDs. They are also used for radiation-cured paints and varnishes. Due to their high price, however, their use has so far been limited to such applications. Epoxidized vegetable oils are formed by epoxidation of unsaturated fatty acids by reaction with peracids. In this case,
3408-601: The miniature park, he withdrew from the project following bad business fortunes. The park having already been sketched out and the models ordered, the Société approached the Walibi group, headed by Eddy Meeùs, about becoming a joint shareholder by taking over the designer's shares. In June 1988, Walibi's directors bought the business. The revised plan consisted of a new park section at Walibi Belgium in Wavre , but that idea proved too large for
3479-641: The models. After painting, the monuments are installed on site, together with decorations and lighting. Many of the monuments were financed by European countries or regions. For instance, in 2008, Mini-Europe received: from the Hungarian Government, the gigantic Széchenyi Bath in Budapest (8 by 6 metres (26 by 20 ft) at Mini-Europe); from the Bulgarian Government, the Rila Monastery ; and from
3550-923: The modifiers has been studied. Epoxy adhesives are a major part of the class of adhesives called "structural adhesives" or "engineering adhesives" (that includes polyurethane , acrylic , cyanoacrylate , and other chemistries.) These high-performance adhesives are used in the construction of aircraft, automobiles, bicycles, boats, golf clubs, skis, snowboards, and other applications where high strength bonds are required. Epoxy adhesives can be developed to suit almost any application. They can be used as adhesives for wood, metal, glass, stone, and some plastics. They can be made flexible or rigid, transparent or opaque /colored, fast setting or slow setting. Epoxy adhesives are better in heat and chemical resistance than other common adhesives. In general, epoxy adhesives cured with heat will be more heat- and chemical-resistant than those cured at room temperature. The strength of epoxy adhesives
3621-400: The molecule (e.g. 3,4-epoxycyclohexylmethyl-3,4-epoxycyclohexane carboxylate). This class also displays lower viscosity at room temperature, but offers significantly higher temperature resistance than the aliphatic epoxy diluents. However, reactivity is rather low compared to other classes of epoxy resin, and high temperature curing using suitable accelerators is normally required. As aromaticity
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#17328518086173692-458: The monuments were made using moulds. The pieces are constructed from a variety of materials, then copied by silicone moulding. The final copy used to be cast from epoxy resin, but nowadays polyester is used. Three of the monuments were made out of natural stone (e.g. the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Château de Chenonceau , in marble ). A computer-assisted milling procedure was used for two of
3763-594: The oil and gas industry, potable water transmission pipelines (steel), and concrete reinforcing rebar . Epoxy coatings are also widely used as primers to improve the adhesion of automotive and marine paints especially on metal surfaces where corrosion (rusting) resistance is important. Metal cans and containers are often coated with epoxy to prevent rusting, especially for foods like tomatoes that are acidic . Epoxy resins are also used for decorative flooring applications such as terrazzo flooring, chip flooring, and colored aggregate flooring. Epoxies have been modified in
3834-602: The oxirane ring is contained (e.g. 3,4-epoxycyclohexylmethyl-3',4'-epoxycyclohexane carboxylate ). They are produced by the reaction of a cyclic alkene with a peracid (see above). Cycloaliphatic epoxides are characterised by their aliphatic structure, high oxirane content and the absence of chlorine, which results in low viscosity and (once cured) good weather resistance, low dielectric constants and high T g . However, aliphatic epoxy resins polymerize very slowly at room temperature, so higher temperatures and suitable accelerators are usually required. Because aliphatic epoxies have
3905-403: The park's last. Finally, an agreement was reached at the beginning of 2021 to extend operations until the arrival of NEO and to guarantee Mini-Europe's inclusion in NEO . The monuments exposed are selected for the quality of their architecture or their European symbolism . Numbering 165, the designers and model makers are Belgian, British, Dutch, French, German, Portuguese and Spanish. Most of
3976-400: The past few decades concern about the possible adverse health effects of many aromatic amines has led to increased use of aliphatic or cycloaliphatic amine alternatives. Amines are also blended, adducted and reacted to alter properties and these amine resins are more often used to cure epoxy resins than a pure amine such as TETA. Increasingly, water-based polyamines are also used to help reduce
4047-444: The peracids can also be formed in situ by reacting carboxylic acids with hydrogen peroxide. Compared with LERs (liquid epoxy resins) they have very low viscosities. If, however, they are used in larger proportions as reactive diluents , this often leads to reduced chemical and thermal resistance and to poorer mechanical properties of the cured epoxides. Large scale epoxidized vegetable oils such as epoxidized soy and lens oils are used to
4118-449: The polymerisation reaction used to produce them. High purity grades can be produced for certain applications, e.g. using a distillation purification process. One downside of high purity liquid grades is their tendency to form crystalline solids due to their highly regular structure, which then require melting to enable processing. An important criterion for epoxy resins is the Epoxy value which
4189-418: The processing properties (viscosity, reactivity) and the final properties (mechanical, temperature and heat resistance) of the cured copolymer network. Thus amine structure is normally selected according to the application. Overall reactivity potential for different hardeners can roughly be ordered; aliphatic amines > cycloaliphatic amines > aromatic amines, though aliphatic amines with steric hindrance near
4260-871: The range of commercially available variations allows cure polymers to be produced with a very broad range of properties. They have been extensively used with concrete and cementitious systems. In general, epoxies are known for their excellent adhesion, chemical and heat resistance, good-to-excellent mechanical properties and very good electrical insulating properties. Many properties of epoxies can be modified (for example silver -filled epoxies with good electrical conductivity are available, although epoxies are typically electrically insulating). Variations offering high thermal insulation , or thermal conductivity combined with high electrical resistance for electronics applications, are available. As with other classes of thermoset polymer materials, blending different grades of epoxy resin, as well as use of additives, plasticizers or fillers
4331-417: The ratio of bisphenol A to epichlorohydrin during manufacture produces higher molecular weight linear polyethers with glycidyl end groups, which are semi-solid to hard crystalline materials at room temperature depending on the molecular weight achieved. This route of synthesis is known as the "taffy" process. The usual route to higher molecular weight epoxy resins is to start with liquid epoxy resin (LER) and add
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#17328518086174402-491: The resulting cured network makes them important materials for aerospace composite applications. There are several dozen chemicals that can be used to cure epoxy, including amines , imidazoles, anhydrides and photosensitive chemicals. The study of epoxy curing is usually carried out by using differential scanning calorimetry . In general, uncured epoxy resins have only poor mechanical, chemical and heat resistance properties. However, good properties are obtained by reacting
4473-784: The resulting network does not typically display high temperature or chemical resistance, the high reactivity of the thiol group makes it useful for applications where heated curing is not possible, or very fast cure is required e.g. for domestic DIY adhesives and chemical rock bolt anchors . Thiols have a characteristic odour, which can be detected in many two-component household adhesives. The applications for epoxy-based materials are extensive and they are considered very versatile. The applications include coatings, adhesives and composite materials such as those using carbon fiber and fiberglass reinforcements (although polyester , vinyl ester , and other thermosetting resins are also used for glass-reinforced plastic). The chemistry of epoxies and
4544-444: The said epoxidation and prepolymerisation. Bisphenol F may undergo epoxy resin formation in a similar fashion to bisphenol A. These resins typically have lower viscosity and a higher mean epoxy content per gram than bisphenol A resins, which (once cured) gives them increased chemical resistance. Important epoxy resins are produced from combining epichlorohydrin and bisphenol A to give bisphenol A diglycidyl ethers . Increasing
4615-430: The terminal epoxy groups are insignificant compared to the total size of the molecule). These resins do however contain hydroxyl groups throughout the backbone, which may also undergo other cross-linking reactions, e.g. with aminoplasts, phenoplasts and isocyanates . Epoxy resins are polymeric or semi-polymeric materials or an oligomer , and as such rarely exist as pure substances, since variable chain length results from
4686-706: The toxicity profile among other reasons. Epoxy resins may be thermally cured with anhydrides to create polymers with significant property retention at elevated temperatures for extended periods of time. Reaction and subsequent crosslinking occur only after opening of the anhydride ring, e.g. by secondary hydroxyl groups in the epoxy resin. Homopolymerization may also occur between epoxide and hydroxyl groups. The high latency of anhydride hardeners makes them suitable for processing systems which require addition of mineral fillers prior to curing, e.g. for high voltage electrical insulators. Cure speed may be improved by matching anhydrides with suitable accelerators. For dianhydrides, and to
4757-891: The viscosity of other epoxy resins. This has led to the term modified epoxy resin to denote those containing viscosity-lowering reactive diluents. The use of the diluent does effect mechanical properties and microstructure of epoxy resins. Mechanical properties of epoxy resins are generally not improved by use of diluents. Biobased epoxy diluents are also available. Glycidylamine epoxy resins are higher functionality epoxies which are formed when aromatic amines are reacted with epichlorohydrin . Important industrial grades are triglycidyl- p -aminophenol (functionality 3) and N , N , N ′, N ′-tetraglycidyl-bis-(4-aminophenyl)-methane (functionality 4). The resins are low to medium viscosity at room temperature, which makes them easier to process than EPN or ECN resins. This coupled with high reactivity, plus high temperature resistance and mechanical properties of
4828-556: The workings of its institutions , the single market and the reasons for enlargement, usually in the form of multimedia games. There are also many educational projects for schools. For all these activities, Mini-Europe has received the moral support of the European Commission and the European Parliament . Miniature park There is evidence to suggest the existence of private model villages and miniature parks since
4899-555: Was achieved, when Krauklis and Echtermeyer discovered the mechanistic origin of yellowing in a commonly used amine epoxy resin, published in 2018. They found that the molecular reason for epoxy yellowing was a thermo-oxidative evolution of carbonyl groups in the polymeric carbon–carbon backbone via a nucleophilic radical attack. Polyester epoxies are used as powder coatings for washers, driers and other "white goods". Fusion Bonded Epoxy Powder Coatings (FBE) are extensively used for corrosion protection of steel pipes and fittings used in
4970-537: Was first reported and patented by Paul Schlack of Germany in 1934. Claims of discovery of bisphenol-A -based epoxy resins include Pierre Castan in 1943. Castan's work was licensed by Ciba , Ltd. of Switzerland, which went on to become one of the three major epoxy resin producers worldwide. In 1946, Sylvan Greenlee, working for the Devoe ;& Raynolds Company (now part of Hexion Inc. ), patented resin derived from bisphenol-A and epichlorohydrin . Most of
5041-554: Was of 50 million Belgian francs in 1989, on its inauguration by then-Prince Philippe of Belgium . The original idea for the park originated from the Dutch businessman Johannes A. Lorijn who, in 1986, came up with the idea of creating a miniature park on the Heysel/Heizel site in Brussels. After his association with the Société régionale d'Investissement bruxelloise , which took a stake in
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