Just replaced the glass plate, again 6 layers of easy lease and still the same problem. So wouldn't say it is an issue with the glas.
No noticeable difference between the old and new batch. The newer one by the way is a 100ml plastic bottle, the old one was a 500ml metal can, but I guess this shouldn't make any differnce.

Any further ideas? 

Ok so its as much an issue with glass as it is the release agent, as its working fine on aluminium. 

For pre-preg, I would expect release properties to fall away each time. Typically at least one recoat is needed on more aggressive processes like infusion or pre-preg. 

The bottle you originally mentioned was from 17/10/19 and the one in the post above is 21/12/18 so almost a year apart and your newer one is almost a year newer. 

I would certainly expect the newer one to perform better than the old batch - all things being equal.

Warren Penalver
Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Support Assistant

Hi Warren,

the satin sheets are made using an aluminium plate, the glossy ones are made using a glass plate. Yes the satin sheets release fine, the gloss ones not. Yes the same release agent batch and same application etc is used.

On the glass plate the release properties fall away with every cure cycle. With the the new and named batch of realse agent I did start from scratch and used  mould cleaner to wipe down the left traces and applied 6 new layers. However, the result was as described.

I was still able to work with the last batch of release agent until three or four weeks ago, although I had to renew the layers more often (like 3 or 4 new layers after every cure cycle), I was still able to release the sheets without damaging the surface as described above. Than the release properties fall away extremly, which is why I have ordered a new bottle.- The last batch was: ELRA-05  12113/18 

Is it possible to find out how old each bottle is? I would be interested to know how far the dates are apart. As the last time the problem occurred, a new bottle of the release agent solved the problem.

HI,

Sorry to hear you've been having problems.  Checked the batch number and the ELRA is still well within date, so unless its been opened or the cap not tightened fully, I would still expect it to work well.

A few things I don't quite understand from your description - probably lost a little in translation.


You mention a satin and gloss finish sheets -  you mention the satin sheets release fine but not the gloss?  Is this with same release agent batch and same application etc? 

When you say the release properties fall away in time, is this after repeated applications of release agent?

As you say, Glass can be difficult to work with.  However, a good coating of EasyLease should release very well.  It could be possible that repeated applications are building up too much and then either coming away or not working properly. That can happen on normal mould surfaces, the build up can feel slightly tacky and just not work as well.  Usually an acetone or Mould cleaner wipe down to remove all traces and starting from scratch will help.

Warren Penalver
Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Support Assistant

I am doing high gloss and sattin finish carbon fiber sheets using glass plates and aluminium sheets as negativ surface.
While the satin sheets just fall of the alumium after cureing the other ones stuck to the glass and have to be peeled off.

In the beginning, more renewed layers help, but at some point the point is reached that the sheets can only be removed with fine fine cracks in the surface because they are that strongly stuck to the glass plate.
The problem arises with increasing age of the release agent, however regardless of the specified shelf life?! The last bottle of 'Easy-Lease Chemical Release Agent' was ordered on March 22. Batch sticker says: ELRA-01  4173-19 
With this bottle the problem occurred from the beginning. Of course the surface was first cleaned with Easy-Lease Mould Cleaner.

I know glass as surface can be tricky but over the last 1 1/2 years I also got many remarkables results using 'xc110' in combination with the 'Easy-Lease Chemical Release Agent'.
But all sheets with cracks in the surface cannot be used for further production in my company, they have to be sorted out. This is extremely annoying in terms of the value of the wasted material and especially the work involved.
I hope you can help.