Latent Thermal Catalyst

Latent Thermal Catalyst

Landec Intelimer Polymers are formulated with cobalt catalysts to offer extended pot life for unsaturated polyester and vinyl ester thermoset resin systems. Landec sells Intelimer 6050X11 Polymer Bound Cobalt Catalyst exclusively through Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. for use in Cured-In-Place-Pipe (CIPP), Bulk Molding Compounding (BMC), Sheet Molding Compounding (SMC), filament winding, pultrusion and other processes. Traditionally, these processes require that a trade-off be made between pot-life and cure speed. Intelimer 6050X11 decouples these variables and eliminates the need for that trade-off decision.

Intelimer 6050X11 Polymer

By using Landec’s temperature triggered properties, Landec is able to deliver processing flexibility by decoupling pot life from cure speed. Below the “switch” temperature, the organo-cobalt moiety is locked in a crystalline polymeric state, extending the pot life of the resin system without initiating cure. Above the “switch” temperature, the polymer unfolds, making the organo-cobalt group freely available to promote the cure in the presence of an organic peroxide. The “switch” temperature can be tuned to accommodate the storage and processing temperatures required.

Cured-In-Place-Pipe Example

The value of the Intelimer® 6050X11 can be illustrated with a closer look at the CIPP process. CIPP provides a way to repair underground pipe with minimal cost and disruption. To repair an underground pipe using the CIPP process, a resin-saturated tube (or “sock”) is inverted downhole and pulled into the damaged pipe. High pressure hot water or steam is pumped into the pipe, curing the resin and forming a tight-fitting “pipe-inside-a-pipe”. In traditional CIPP processes, the catalyst must be mixed with the resin system on-site and catalysis begins immediately. If any disruptions occur, material can be lost and the process must be repeated.

With the Intelimer 6050X11 catalyst, the “switch” temperature is set below the steam temperature so that the latent cobalt is inactive within the crystalline polymer matrix. The resin system can be mixed with catalyst offsite, minimizing disruption and errors, and cure begins only with the introduction of the hot water or steam.

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