that can only mean all batches are not the same...

Picking up where Matt left off, I am still wondering if there are any other factors going on here? 

Your mixing ratio seems ok.  Amine blush is typically caused  by factors such as temperature, poor mixing, slight measuring error etc so maybe tighten up on your processes slightly will help with that.

Can you email or message me the batch?  We get the hardeners in  large  barrels  and IBC's for the resin so batch sizes are quite large.  We have not had any reports of the flakes you have mentioned.

Have the containers been properly sealed?  I have seen white crystalline flakes around poorly shut lids and/or drips around the neck/lid where the hardener  which is exposed to air has had moisture get at it.   It is remotely possible if your environment is very moist you could have the issue in a bottle with the lid left off.


Warren Penalver
Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Support Assistant

To pick up on one of your other posts as well, each batch of hardener is around 200-400kg and so a batch issue (which would be unheard of) would affect dozens of customers. We also use the AT30 Fast in our production of Composite materials so I'm confident that the material is okay but to be sure, could you kindly confirm the batch number on your container (it is found next to the barcode)? We can then double check the batch against our records accordingly.

As I previously stated, my humidity and temperature are controled. The dehumidifier kicks of at 50% rh usually, for this resin I have gone as far as 35 with some great efforts and still no improvement. The temperature also is controled by a thermostat according to my needings. I am more than happy to send the hardner back if easycomposites pays for shipping. I expect nothing else in return, otherwise I will throw it away anyways.
The amine blush goes deep in the laminating layer, after i wash it off with water and soap, when I sand it white spots appear on the surface. Not to mention if I apply subsequent layers at the tacky stage, they will delaminate immediatly. 
And to eliminate all doubts, all the containers are very well kept, in their original one, and the resin was ordered 2 weeks ago. Please do not ask about this again.

I have checked the batch details you have given and it all seems fine from the current batch which we have tested and use in house so I am baffled as to what is going on here.

As you say youve controlled the temperature and humidity.  If you've got up to 35C it should cure quicker and better than normal.

The fact you get so much amine blush and delamination concerns me  - are you mixing by volume or by weight and I presume following the standard mixing ratio and not varying it?  So much amine blush almost sounds like you have lots of uncured hardener in the mix.


Warren Penalver
Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Support Assistant

Hi!

Is it possible that only the AT30 Fast hardener container in question has been partially frozen during transport (Air freight?)
I had a partly used AT30 fast hardener that was accidentally partially frozen last winter, I thawed it out and did a test on it and had the exact same problems described here.

I have to admit that that particular container of hardener was past its 12 months shelf life, but I had two containers delivered at the same time, and the one that was kept cold, but not frozen worked fine.
As a matter of fact I just used the remaining of this last container of AT30 Fast, which by now must be at least 2 years old and it worked just fine. It has darkened quite a bit, so I only used it for non-structural, non cosmetic use (Quick&dirty CF Mould :-) )

Could the  particular container of  Fast hardener have been contaminated with water? And would that combined with freezing explain the severe problems "catacls" seems to have?


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Interesting point Dravis. Although ambient temperatures are not that low yet, you never know if the parcel has been left in cold storage or next to a chilled/frozen reefer or similar in the transit depots.


Warren Penalver
Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Support Assistant

Or in the hold of the plane transporting the hardener to Romania, although this rarely goes below 7 deg C.