Epoxy Resins with Carbon Fiber: The Perfect Match!

Carbon fibers are strong, lightweight, and fatigue-resistant fibers used to build composite materials.  By combining carbon fibers with epoxies, manufacturers can create incredibly hard, durable materials that outperform both individual material types. Composites are a relatively new production material compared to materials like aluminum, iron, and steel, but there are many benefits in choosing to work with carbon fiber-strengthened composites that span a range of industries.

Epoxy for Carbon Fiber

Composites are specialty materials made from a combination of fibers and resins. Epoxy resin is a thermoset polymer material that is heated and cured to chemically alter the material’s composition to create a permanently hardened substance. Most epoxy resins retain their positive attributes at temperatures as high as 175°C. Once the liquid polymers in an epoxy resin solidify, the hardened piece becomes strong, resistant to chemical and thermal damage, and can withstand physical wear or impact. 

Epoxy resin is advantageous due to its properties in its liquid state. The material is a very strong adhesive with the unique ability to fuse with carbon fibers to create an even stronger microstructure that showcases the advantages of both the epoxy and the fibers. 

Carbon fibers resist fatigue, have low thermal expansion, and can absorb or dampen vibrations. They are supplied in two forms that are suitable for creating composites. Carbon fiber tows are bundles of thousands of untwisted, continuous fibers which can be used directly in epoxies or converted into woven reinforcement materials like fabric or tape.

Benefits of Epoxy Resin for Carbon Fiber

Epoxy resin and carbon fiber composites are uniquely strong and offer excellent performance in commercial and industrial applications. Some of the benefits of this material include:

• Strength: Carbon fibers have very high tensile strength but are prone to damage. Epoxy resins have low tensile strength but their toughness and malleable properties protect the fibers from damage, creating an even stronger material.
• Lightweight: The composite material has an excellent strength-to-weight ratio, surpassing even aluminum and titanium. As a result, manufacturers can produce lightweight parts that can be used in more energy-efficient vehicles and assemblies.
• Flexibility: Despite its strength and durability, the composite is simultaneously very flexible. This means the material can withstand strong impact forces by absorbing the force. It also won’t develop spider cracks under impact or when the material is bent.
• No shrinkage: Epoxy resins won’t shrink after curing. This extends the lifespan of composite parts and components used in harsh environments.
• UV resistance: The composite material can withstand exposure to sunlight. It’s 100% UV resistant, so it can be used in long-term outdoor applications without the risk of wear or degradation.
• Aesthetics: Epoxy resin and carbon fiber composites are transparent, which makes them an excellent choice for visible components and consumer-facing products.

Applications of Epoxy Resins With Carbon Fiber

Epoxy resin and carbon fiber composites are very versatile, which makes them useful in a wide variety of applications and industries. At Copps Industries, we formulate epoxy resins for composite materials used across the following applications:

• Aerospace
• Aircraft and avionics
• Automotive component construction and assembly
• Boats and marine applications
• Consumer goods
• Construction
• Corrosion-resistant parts for industrial and manufacturing equipment
• Military and defense
• Oil and gas processing
• Sporting goods and recreational products
• Transportation

Choose Epoxy Resins With Carbon Fiber From Copps Industries

Since 1979, Copps Industries has been a leading provider of high-performance epoxy resins for use in civil engineering, adhesives, manufacturing, and more. Our company is ISO 9011:2015-certified as part of our commitment to excellent product quality.  We produce resins for use in a wide variety of different composite materials. Contact us today to learn more about our epoxy resin formulation capabilities and services. You can also request a quote to start your order.

A Guide to Industrial Concrete Flooring: Epoxy Coatings & Joint Filler

Epoxy coatings are used to create attractive flooring that is highly durable and can stand up to high levels of impact and abrasion. They are produced using a combination of polymer resins and hardeners to result in a chemical bond with the concrete. There are many types of epoxy coatings, including a wide array of colors and decorative options, and they can frequently be combined with other resinous commercial floor coatings.

Floors in industrial environments typically experience heavy loads and significant wear, making it essential that they are made to be as durable as possible. With the many types of industrial floor coatings available, understanding which type is the best choice for your facility can be challenging. This blog post will discuss epoxy concrete coatings and joint fillers and their most suitable applications.

Epoxy Concrete Coating

The right epoxy flooring benefits industrial spaces in several ways. It reduces time spent on repairs and cleaning and facilitates a more effective workspace. Some further benefits of epoxy concrete flooring include:

• Enhanced durability: Epoxy coatings stand up to heavy traffic much better than floor paint.
• Easy to clean: Resistant to spill stains, floors coated in epoxy are easily kept looking new and clean.
• Versatility: Can be used in both residential and commercial environments.
• Visually appealing: Vibrant, unique designs can be created and customized.
• Quick installation: Little downtime is required due to installation ease and quick drying time.

In comparison to traditional floor paint, epoxy concrete coatings are over ten times greater in thickness and only require 24 hours to dry completely. The thickness of these coatings adds to their durability and enables them to easily smooth over cracks and indentations. Epoxy can be used to repair most concrete floor issues, but it’s always best to fix any chips or cracks with high-quality concrete as soon as they are noticed.

Epoxy flooring delivers not only a polished and neat appearance but also may provide additional safety for workers due to its slip and skid resistance depending on the surface texture chosen. In many situations, the right type of industrial epoxy floor coating can prevent accidents from happening and reduce certain safety concerns.

Joint Fillers

Industrial settings can incur a lot of wear on floors, making it common for cracks or chips to occur. When these situations happen, it is essential that they are quickly repaired using high-quality, reliable products. Doing so can not only prolong the life of your floors, but also ensure a safe working environment.

Control joints cut in concrete are designed to control the normal cracking of concrete as it cures. Joint fillers can be used to repair minor issues and prevent them from worsening. Using a joint filler made from epoxy or polyurea supports joint edges and prevents their deterioration as well as concrete spalling. Copps Industries manufactures several varieties of joint fillers that meet the needs of diverse industries. Our products are designed to fill these control joints and protect the joint from deterioration.

Copps Industries has a variety of joint filler products for different environments. They include:

• FlexFill 60 Joint Filler (K-057):Highly durable, this joint filler is designed for saw-cut control and contraction joints. It bonds well with most construction materials.
• FlexFill 80 Joint Filler (K-554):This two-component, rapid-setting solution prevents water penetration and prevents contamination. It is designed to prevent edge deterioration and support joint edges.
• FlexFill 90 Joint Filler (K-560): Designed to reduce joint filler sinks, saving time and money, this product bonds tightly to concrete joints. It prevents the penetration of contaminants and water.

Industries: Epoxy Coatings & Joint Fillers

At Copps Industries, we understand the needs of diverse industrial environments. Businesses vary in their working environments and the specific conditions their floors are exposed to; for that reason, we’ve designed a product line that addresses these varied needs. Our products restore floors back to safe conditions in a variety of settings, such as:

• Chemical processing
• Food and beverages
• Power generation
• Pulp and paper
• Tool and die

No matter what demands are placed on your flooring, our products will extend their lifespan and provide added safety for your working environment.

Industrial Flooring Protection and Repair Solutions from Copps Industries

Flooring in industrial environments needs to withstand heavy loads and other challenges such as chemicals and abrasions. In these situations, it’s important for worker safety that cracks and imperfections are quickly repaired. Epoxy concrete coatings and joint fillers are high-performing solutions ideally suited to these applications.

For over 40 years, Copps Industries has been a trusted formulator of epoxy resins. Our extensive selection of industrial concrete floor coatings and overlays meet the needs of even the most challenging flooring environments. To learn more about our products, contact us. When you’re ready to have our experts create a personalized solution for your floors, request a quote.