Talk Composites - The Forum for Advanced Composites

Release agents - confusing

http://www.talkcomposites.com/Topic2272.aspx

By mannime - 7/16/2012 10:35:18 AM

Hi guys,

I'm a bit confused regarding all those release agents. Do I have to buy all of them:

- PVA
- Number 8 Wax
- Easy-Lease Chemical release

or one of them would do?

The surface on which I'm going to do a vacuum infusion would be one of these:

- Polypropylene sheet
- Polycarbonate sheet
- PVC sheet
- Plexiglass (perspex) sheet

It would be nice if Matt (staff) or someone else who works at EC could explain a bit more about those release agents and the materials I want to use them on.

Thank you
By Matt (Staff) - 7/23/2012 11:02:55 AM

Hi Mani,

Like Baja says, no release agent at all for polypropylene. PVC would need Easy-Lease (do a test first to make sure it works and that the solvent doesn't upset the PVC), Perspex is a strange one and MUST be tested first because from one brand to the next you will get different results.

Only consider any of these alternatives if glass is not an option (i.e. if the mould is not flat) otherwise go with glass every time.

--Matt