True one-component epoxy systems are gaining increasing acceptance compared to popular two-component epoxy systems.  One-part epoxy systems are ready-to-use adhesives that can be used straight out of the container without the need to mix any additional components. It is one of the primary benefits of single-component epoxies we’ll discuss in detail. 

Single-component epoxies offer a variety of benefits for industrial applications, including excellent bonding strength and high resistance to chemicals, moisture, and temperature changes, making them ideal for use even in harsh environments. So, let’s take a look at the 10 most crucial one-part epoxy advantages.

10 Advantages Of Using One-Component Epoxy Adhesives

1. Reduces Human Error And Improves Efficiency

Traditional epoxy systems require you to manually mix resin and curing agent before it is used. In contrast, one-part epoxies come premixed with the curing agent, which saves time and is much more efficient. Additionally, it also reduces the potential for human error. One-part epoxies’ increased efficiency makes them ideal for industries that need to manufacture high-volume products. Furthermore, they also offer excellent adhesive properties and can stick to a wide range of substrates, including plastics, metals, ceramics, and composites.

One-part epoxies can also offer a fast cure, when compared to their two-part equivalents. Premixed one-part epoxy adhesives saves overall time required for processing and curing. Since no weighing and mixing is involved, it improves the process efficiency. Additionally, one-part epoxy adhesives are typically heat cured, allowing for a much faster curing speed..

2. Lowers The Chances of Air Entrapment

Whenever an adhesive is manually mixed, there is a high probability of entrapping air into the adhesive system. As previously discussed, one-part epoxies do not require any manual mixing.. When we eliminate the manual mixing process, it eliminates the possibility of introducing any external air into the adhesive. Two-component epoxy adhesives need to be degassed after mixing the resin and the hardener. Sometimes this is not possible for fast setting adhesives. Completely eliminating the possibility of air bubble entrapment in the adhesive gives one-part epoxies a serious advantage. Presence of air bubbles can severely affect the final properties of the epoxy adhesive. Air bubbles can drastically weaken the strength of the epoxy mixture, making it less durable. With one-part epoxies, you don’t have to worry about air entrapment or the formation of air bubbles. Hence, using one-part epoxies serves as a more reliable solution for your application.

3. Offers Superior Mechanical Strength Profile

One-part epoxy adhesives feature superior mechanical strength as compared to most of the other adhesives available in the industry. During the curing process of one-part epoxy, the curing agent and resin react with one another to form cross-linked polymer chains. The addition of heat required for the curing of one-part systems ensures a higher cross linking density. These strong cross-linked polymer chains give one-part epoxy the strength to resist a variety of environmental factors such as chemicals, temperatures, fluctuations, and mechanical stress. Special toughened grades can withstand high impact forces, shocks and vibrations. They adhere well to a wide range of substrates, such as metals, plastics, rubbers, glass, ceramics among others. These versatile adhesives make an ideal choice for various industrial applications in the automotive, aerospace, electronics, medical, specialty OEM and composite industries.

4. Provides Excellent Chemical Resistance Properties

Another of the key benefits of one-part epoxy coatings include their incredible resistance to chemicals. One-part epoxy is engineered to resist a wide range of chemicals, including acids, alkalis, solvents, and fuel, making them suitable for industrial applications that deal with harsh chemical environments.

Listed below are some reasons why one-component epoxies are popular: One-part epoxy’s chemical resistance is also enhanced by its high-temperature and pressure resistant properties, making them a popular choice. Their high chemical resistance makes them suitable for industrial applications such as chemical processing, oil and gas, automotive, and aerospace industries.

5. Withstands Extreme Cryogenic Conditions

Let’s focus on one component epoxies’ ability to maintain their adhesive properties even at very low temperatures. This property is also associated with the cross-linked polymer chains that make one-part epoxies strong. This high cross-linked polymer density provides strength, flexibility, and durability at such low temperatures.

As they exhibit such high-temperature resistant properties, one-component epoxies can be used in industrial applications that have to deal with liquid nitrogen or extreme cryogenic conditions. So, they can be used in the aerospace, defense, and oil and gas industries.

6. Customizable Glass Transition Temperatures

One of the single-part epoxy benefits includes calibration of glass transition temperatures to suit specific needs of the industry. Glass transition temperatures refer to the temperature at which epoxy transitions from a hard & brittle state to a rubbery flexible state.

Why does this transition matter? The glass transition temperature is intentional and necessary for many industrial applications:

• For example, the electronics industry requires epoxy to maintain its structural integrity while operating under low temperatures. If the one-part epoxy remains brittle and hard when exposed to low temperatures it could cause it to crack, causing damage to the electronics being used.
• In other cases, for example, in the aerospace industry, adhesives used for components such as jet engine parts and heat shields may require materials that maintain mechanical properties, needing epoxy to remain hard and brittle at elevated temperatures.

Therefore, one-part epoxies can be customized for specific industrial applications. Epoxy manufacturers adjust the formulation of the one-part epoxy to engineer epoxies for different glass transition temperatures, making them ideal for desired temperature profiles.

Are you interested in learning more about glass transition temperatures and how to optimize them? Refer to our guide: How To Optimize The Glass Transition Temperature (Tg) Of An Epoxy.

7. Provides Added Toughness

One-part epoxy systems can offer added toughness, which ensures that the adhesion is strong enough to absorb energy without breaking or cracking.

Its high customizability is one of the primary advantages of one-part epoxy. These single-component epoxy systems can incorporate additives such as rubber particles or fibers to improve the toughness while retaining its base properties, durability and flexibility. The added strength ensures that one-part epoxy is ideal for industrial applications that require impact resistance, especially in industries such as automotive or aerospace.

8. Exhibit Low Shrinkage Properties

Another benefit of using one-part epoxy systems is their low shrinkage property or rate. This reduces the chances of the adhesive cracking or distorting during the curing process.

Shrinkage usually occurs during the adhesive curing process, causing internal stresses, cracking or delamination. It is necessary to consider shrinkage as a factor since epoxies with low shrinkage rates can maintain their strength and integrity. Epoxy systems with low shrinkage rate are especially needed in aerospace, automotive, and construction.

9. Offers Excellent Dimensional Stability

One part of epoxy offers excellent dimensional stability, which refers to the ability of these epoxy solutions to maintain their shape and size over a period of time under demanding conditions such as humidity, temperature, stress, strain, pressure, and exposure to environmental factors or various chemicals.

This benefit or property comes in handy in industrial applications that require adhesives to meet strict dimensional requirements. One part epoxies, low shrinkage rate and high cross-linked polymer density are factors contributing factors to their excellent dimensional stability.

10. Outstanding Thermal and Electrical Conductivity

So far we have covered one-part epoxy system’s incredible properties, including their temperature resistance, chemical resistance, impact resistance, moisture resistance, and solvent resistance. Now, let’s take a look at how one component epoxy makes good thermal and electrical conductors.

One-part epoxy systems can be formulated using conductive fillers such as silver, copper, or graphite to improve their thermal and electrical conductivity. The addition of these fillers ensures that epoxy can transfer heat and electricity efficiently, making them suitable for electronic and electrical applications.  

Conclusion

As we have seen, one-part epoxies offer a wide range of benefits of using one-part epoxy for industrial applications. These holistic properties and benefits are strongly correlated with each other and make the one-part epoxy stronger as a result.

To summarize, one-component epoxy eliminates the need for manual mixing of resin and curing agent, ensuring greater efficiency and reducing errors. These time-saving epoxy solutions also exhibit superior mechanical strength, excellent chemical resistance, cryogenic serviceability, customizable glass transition temperatures, added toughness, low shrinkage, and first-rate dimensional stability. We hope we have satisfactorily answered your question “Why use one part of epoxy?” If you are interested in purchasing custom engineered one part epoxy solutions, you can reach out to Kohesi Bond. Kohesi Bond’s engineers have developed phenomenal one part epoxies that are capable of passing NASA standards for low outgassing, USP Class VI requirements, halogen free standards, among others.

Popular One-Component Epoxy Systems From Kohesi Bond:

• KB 1427 HT: KB 1427 HT is a path breaking one part epoxy system for bonding, sealing, coating and casting applications. It offers a roaring glass transition temperature (Tg) of >220 ° C and stellar chemical resistance to a wide variety of fuels, oil and water.
• KB 1613 HT: KB 1613 HT is a one component, heat curing epoxy system typically used for bonding, sealing and coating applications. It offers rapid cures at elevated temperatures (5-10 minutes at 150 °C) as well as outstanding physical strength properties.
• TUF 1820 HTS: TUF 1820 HTS is a one component, silver filled, heat curing epoxy system. It offers excellent electrical conductivity (volume resistivity of < 0.005 ohm-cm). Also, this product is cryogenically serviceable and capable of passing NASA standards for low outgassing.