You may be wondering what exactly epoxy resin is, and there are some misconceptions about it. Let me introduce you to epoxy resin and its history, to help you understand whether it’s more like glass or plastic.
Epoxy resins today are used to make many items: boats, cars, airplane parts, coatings on floors and in swimming pools, kitchen counters, and other furniture items. Epoxy resin was developed in the 1940s by Dr. Pierre Castan of Ciba Company in Switzerland.
He was working on a project to make an adhesive for wood veneers when he came up with the first commercialized epoxy product in 1945. This product was called Araldite.
Is resin a plastic or glass?
The short answer to this question is that epoxy resin is both a type of plastic and a type of glass. This can be confusing because it doesn’t really fit the definition of either one.
To understand why, let’s take a look at what glass and plastic are made from, how they are made, and how they behave once they are finished products.
Table of Contents
Is epoxy same as glass?
Epoxy resins are thermosetting polymers, which means they harden when heated and will not re-melt if reheated.
When epoxy resin is properly applied to glass, metal, or plastic, it creates a smooth, high-gloss finish that is highly resistant to water and chemical exposure.
Epoxy resin can be used to cover glass surfaces or coat other materials in order to preserve them.
Is epoxy resin same as liquid glass?
Liquid glass is not epoxy resin. It’s a coating with a hard shell that is made of silica dioxide and polysiloxane, which means you can use liquid glass to waterproof your phone or another type of phone case.
Liquid glass serves as an ingredient for epoxy resin, but this does not mean that liquid glass and epoxy resin are the same things.
What kind of plastic is epoxy?
The difference between glass and plastic is that glass is an amorphous solid and plastic is a polymer.
So what kind of plastic is epoxy? Epoxy resin is a thermosetting polymer, which means that it hardens as it cools.
Epoxy resins are usually made from two components: a resin and a hardener. The two components are mixed together to create the end product.
This big family of plastics can be found in many places, including automobiles, construction materials, adhesives, paints, coatings, and many more applications.
Epoxy resins have several advantages over other plastics that make them ideal for use in these applications: they are easy to work with (unlike polyester resin), durable and resistant to chemicals (unlike vinyl ester), and water-resistant (unlike polyurethane).
Does epoxy feel like glass?
you might be wondering, “Does epoxy feel like glass?” Epoxy is often used as a sealer for wood and concrete, so it really comes down to the application you are using epoxy in.
When using epoxy as a coating on glass or metal, it will actually have a glossy surface that can give the appearance of looking like glass.
However, when applying epoxy over wood or concrete, the finished product will not have a shiny surface.
Epoxy resin differs from hardeners by its ability to cure quickly and by its strength. Epoxies that cure quickly are typically stronger than those that do not cure quickly. Some other things you should know about epoxies include:
Epoxies are thermosetting plastics which means they harden when exposed to heat
The flexibility of an epoxy depends on its curing temperature
Epoxies can be brittle or flexible depending on the resin and hardener used
Is epoxy resin like plastic?
Epoxy resin is a type of plastic. It is made out of polyepoxide, which contains various organic compounds and hardeners that give epoxy its glass-like qualities.
Epoxies are used for a variety of purposes, from glue to coatings, but their most notable use is as adhesives. They are known for their strong bonding qualities and high impact resistance
Does resin bond to plastic?
For the most part, epoxy resin bonds to plastic. But before you go ahead and pour resin over all of your favorite trinkets, know that it’s important to understand what kind of plastic each item is made from.
Thermoset plastics are commonly used for items like kitchenware or for laboratory tooling due to their excellent heat resistance and strength.
Thermoset plastics need a chemical reaction in order to cure, or harden; this chemical reaction is what gives them their superior properties.
In contrast, thermoplastic materials become soft when heated and hard when cooled, which makes them easy to mold but less durable in general than thermosets.
Does epoxy stick to plastic?
Epoxy resin is not a glass and it is not plastic. Epoxy resin has some properties of both, but it is also different from both.
Epoxy resin has similar properties to glass, for example:
- It can be used as a coating over wood or paper
- It can withstand heat up to 500F degrees without yellowing or cracking (overtime)
- It becomes hard once cured and stays hard long term
- It has high tensile strength (600-6000 psi) and won’t break under pressure/weight (like regular glass)
Conclusion
Epoxy resin is a type of plastic that has been formed into a liquid. When you mix this liquid with the proper hardener, it creates a solid substance that can be used to coat surfaces like tables, tabletops, and jewelry.
While epoxy resin might look like glass when it’s in its final liquid form, the finished product does not have the same characteristics as glass. For example, it will bond to plastic but won’t stick to glass.
When you’re using epoxy resin for projects around your home or office, remember that it’s not glass and functions differently from glass.
You’ll need to keep that in mind, so you can use the correct technique for bonding and sticking items together with epoxy resin.
