Imidazole Type Epoxy Resin Curing Agents
Latent catalysts for one component epoxy with 26 grades by activation temperature
What This Product Is and Who Buys It
Imidazole type curing agents are highly efficient latent catalysts for epoxy formulations in electronics, powder coatings, adhesives, inks and laminates. Twenty six grades are listed here with appearance, melting point and activation temperature, covering liquid, flake, powder and micronised powder forms.
Key Benefits
- High catalytic activity enabling rapid epoxy cure once activated
- Excellent thermal resistance with high Tg after cure
- Latent behaviour that makes genuine one component systems possible
- Low colour and good colour stability on the non colouring grades
Where This Material Is Used
Who It Is For
- One component epoxy adhesive manufacturers
- Powder coating formulators
- Electronic encapsulation and CCL producers
- Ink and insulating coating makers
Problems It Solves
- One component systems advancing in storage before they reach the customer
- Cure schedules that cannot be lowered because the hardener activates too high
- Clear and light coloured parts discolouring because of the hardener rather than the resin
Technical Features
- Activation temperatures from 93°C on 2MZ-H up to 158°C on 2PHZ-PW
- Melting points from 30°C on 2E4MZ-CN up to above 250°C on 2MA-OK
- Physical forms including liquid, flake, powder and micronised powder at around 5 micron
- Non colouring grades 2PZ-CNS, 1B2PZ, C11Z-CN, C11Z-CNS and 2PZL
Specifications
These figures are the manufacturer grade data as published for this product family. Anything not listed below has not been confirmed and is marked TBC on request rather than estimated.
| Grade | Appearance | Melting Point (°C) | Activation Temp (°C) | Applications | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2MZ-H | White to pale yellow flakes | 140–148 | 93 | Encapsulation, powder coatings | Reactivity, heat resistance |
| 2E4MZ | Pale yellow liquid or solid | 41 | 105 | Adhesives, laminates, inks, insulating coatings | Reactivity, heat resistance, adhesion |
| C11Z | White to pale yellow flakes | 69–74 | 100 | Powder coatings, adhesives, laminates, inks | Heat resistance, adhesion |
| C17Z | Off-white powder | 86–91 | 103 | Powder coatings, adhesives, encapsulation, inks | Heat resistance, adhesion, one-component |
| 2PZ | Light pink/yellow flakes | 137–147 | 105 | Paints, powder coatings, adhesives, laminates, encapsulation | Reactivity, heat resistance, adhesion, low sublimation |
| 2MZ-CN | Pale yellow/brown liquid or solid | 53–56 | — | Paints | Reactivity, heat resistance |
| 2E4MZ-CN | Pale yellow/brown liquid or solid | 30 | 120 | Adhesives, laminates, inks, insulating coatings | Heat resistance |
| 2MA-OK | White powder | ＞250 | 130 | Adhesives, laminates, paints, powder coatings | Reactivity, heat resistance, low moisture absorption |
| 2PHZ-PW | White to pale yellow fine powder | 248–258 | 158 | Powder coatings, paints, adhesives, laminates, encapsulation | Heat resistance, one-component |
| 2P4MHZ-PW | Fine white powder (≈5 μm) | 191–195 | 140 | Powder coatings, paints, adhesives, laminates, encapsulation | Reactivity, heat resistance |
| 1B2MZ | Light pink/yellow flakes | 50 | 108 | Adhesives, laminates, insulating coatings | Reactivity, heat resistance |
| 2PZ-CNS | White powder | 180–182 | 133 | Powder coatings | Heat resistance, non-coloring |
| SFZ | Yellow-brown flakes | 60 | — | — | — |
| 2P4MZ | Pale pink/yellow flakes | 174–184 | 110 | Laminates, encapsulation | Reactivity, heat resistance, low sublimation |
| 1B2PZ | Pale yellow liquid or solid | 40 | 108 | Adhesives, encapsulation, paints, insulating coatings | Heat resistance, non-coloring, low moisture absorption, adhesion |
| 1,2DMZ | Light pink liquid or solid | 36 | 98 | Adhesives | Reactivity, heat resistance, adhesion |
| C11Z-CN | White to pale yellow solid | 47–52 | — | Paints, adhesives, laminates | Heat resistance, adhesion, colorless |
| 2PZ-CN | White powder | 105–111 | — | Adhesives | Heat resistance |
| C11Z-CNS | White powder | 123–129 | 107 | Adhesives, powder coatings | Heat resistance, adhesion, colorless |
| 2MZ-A | White to pale yellow powder | 248–258 | 130 | Adhesives, powder coatings, paints, laminates | Heat resistance, adhesion, one-component, reactivity |
| C11Z-A | White powder | 187–195 | 127 | Adhesives, powder coatings, paints, encapsulation | Heat resistance, adhesion, one-component |
| 2E4MZ-A | White to pale yellow powder | 215–225 | 107 | Adhesives | Heat resistance, adhesion |
| 2PZ-OK | White to pale yellow powder | 140 | 120 | Adhesives | Heat resistance |
| TBZ | White to pale yellow powder | 114–117 | — | Encapsulation, laminates | Heat resistance |
| 2PZL | Pale yellow flakes | 95–104 | — | Powder coatings | Non-coloring, adhesion |
Grades listed are representative and not exhaustive. Ask for the batch certificate of analysis on the grade you intend to buy.
Packaging Storage and Shelf Life
- Physical Forms
- Liquid, flake, powder and micronised powder
- Storage
- Cool dry storage away from heat sources; low moisture absorption grades such as 2MA-OK are available for humid environments
- Packaging
- Contact us for the packing format available on the grade you select
- Certification
- Batch certificate of analysis supplied with shipment
How to Work With This Product
- Fix your cure oven temperature first
- Choose a grade whose activation temperature sits comfortably below that oven temperature
- Check the melting point is high enough for your warehouse and transport conditions
- For one component systems prefer high melting powder or micronised powder grades
- For clear or light coloured parts choose a non colouring grade such as 2PZ-CNS or 2PZL
How It Compares
Within the Epoxy Hardener category this product is positioned by the numbers in the table above rather than by a marketing claim. Compare NCO content, viscosity, equivalent weight or hydroxyl value against the alternative you are considering, and if the two are close, ask us for both samples and decide on your own line.
Quality and Documentation
Quality control runs across incoming raw materials, production and finished product inspection. A batch certificate of analysis is supplied with every shipment. We are a supply and trading company working with named manufacturers and OEM partners, so certification held by the producing plant is provided on request per grade rather than claimed here as ours.
Customisation
Customised grades and packing formats are available through our OEM partners and specialised manufacturing facilities. Tell us the property you need to move and we will say whether it is a grade change, a packaging change or not possible.
Industries Using This Product
Electronic materials fail on impurities long before they fail on mechanical properties. Total chlorine, colour and latency matter more here than headline strength figures.
See Applications
Adhesive makers live between two constraints: open time long enough to apply the product, and final strength high enough to replace a mechanical fastener.
See ApplicationsWhere This Product Fits In A Wider System
Imidazole Curing Agents Questions
What does activation temperature mean in practice?
It is the temperature at which the imidazole becomes catalytically active and cure begins. Below it the system is effectively stable, which is what gives a one component epoxy its shelf life.
Which grade gives the longest room temperature storage?
High melting powder grades. 2PHZ-PW melts at 248 to 258 degrees C and activates at 158, and 2MA-OK melts above 250 degrees C and activates at 130. Both stay inert at ambient.
Do you have a micronised grade?
Yes. 2P4MHZ-PW is a fine white powder at approximately 5 micron, melting at 191 to 195 degrees C and activating at 140.
Which grade suits a low temperature cure?
2MZ-H activates at 93 degrees C, the lowest in the range, and is listed for encapsulation and powder coatings.
Are there grades that resist moisture pickup?
2MA-OK and 1B2PZ are both listed with low moisture absorption, which matters where powder is weighed out in a humid plant.
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View SpecificationsGuides That Cover This Product
EEW, colour, viscosity and softening point are the four numbers that decide whether a resin grade fits your process.
Read The Guide
Latency is the whole point. This guide explains what melting point and activation temperature tell you about shelf life and cure schedule.
Read The GuideAmine hydrogen equivalent weight and molecular weight explain almost everything about how a polyetheramine will behave in your system.
Read The GuideRequest a Quote or a Sample of Imidazole Curing Agents
Samples take about 7 days and are free of charge with shipping at your cost. Production orders ship 20-30 days after the deposit is received.