Infusion resin system
Infusion resin is specifically designed for the vacuum infusion process, ensuring optimal fiber wetting. Due to its low viscosity, the resin and hardener penetrate deep into the laminate, allowing for the production of high-strength and lightweight components. Whether used in the epoxy resin injection process, boat building, carbon fiber (CFK) and glass fiber (GFK) applications, or for industrial purposes, the right 2K epoxy resin provides high mechanical stability and excellent adhesion to various materials.
Infusion resin for vacuum infusion and vacuum injection processes
What makes infusion resin special?
Infusion resin is a low-viscosity 2K epoxy resin, specifically optimized for vacuum injection and other resin infusion processes. Due to its excellent flow properties, it penetrates even complex fiber structures, ensuring a uniform resin distribution within the laminate. This results in high mechanical strength, as air inclusions are minimized and an optimal fiber wetting is achieved. Compared to polyester resin or vinyl ester resin, the epoxy resin injection process offers higher temperature resistance, improved chemical resistance, and lower shrinkage. As a result, composite parts benefit from longer lifespans and enhanced structural properties. Additionally, it ensures reliable curing, even under challenging environmental conditions.
Which specialized resin systems are available for vacuum infusion and vacuum injection processes?
> Standard infusion resin
The HP-E3000RI series is based on an unfilled epoxy resin, which can be customized with different hardeners to suit specific applications. A key feature of this system is its high initial Tg when cured at room temperature, improving thermal stability. By using the HP-E120RI hardener, the maximum glass transition temperature (Tg MAX) can be increased to 98°C. At the same time, this infusion resin offers high transparency, making it particularly suitable for visible carbon fiber parts. The HP-E30RI and HP-E300RI hardeners allow for flexible pot life adjustments ranging from 3 to 300 minutes.Thanks to its very low viscosity, this epoxy resin for vacuum infusion ensures excellent wetting and flow properties. This enables a uniform resin distribution within the laminate, leading to high static and dynamic strengths. In addition to the vacuum infusion process (IMC/MTI, RI, VARI, SCRIMP®), this system is also suitable for resin transfer molding (RTM, RIM), filament winding, hand lay-up, as well as optical applications such as visible carbon fiber components.
The HP-E3000GL series is also based on an unfilled epoxy resin, which can be customized with different hardeners for specific vacuum infusion applications. Similar to the HP-E3000RI series, a high initial Tg at room temperature curing improves thermal properties. With the HP-E200GL hardener, the maximum glass transition temperature (Tg MAX) can reach 107°C. Additionally, this 2K epoxy resin provides high transparency, making it ideal for visible carbon fiber parts. Its very low viscosity ensures excellent fiber wetting and uniform resin distribution. The pot life can be adjusted between 15 and 300 minutes. With its high static and dynamic strength, this system is ideal for vacuum infusion processes (IMC/MTI, RI, VARI, SCRIMP®), resin transfer molding (RTM, RIM), filament winding, hand lay-up, and optical applications such as carbon fiber surface parts.
> Heat resistant infusion resin
The HP-E120WSI / HP-E120WSM is a specially developed epoxy resin system for vacuum injection, designed for high-temperature resistance. It consists of an unfilled, low-viscosity 2-component combination of resin and hardener, specifically formulated for high-temperature composite applications. This infusion resin offers high static and dynamic strength, along with excellent fiber wetting and impregnation. Additionally, it is resistant to yellowing and requires post-curing before demolding to ensure maximum mechanical stability. The HP-E120WSI / HP-E120WSM is particularly suited for the vacuum injection process (IMC/MTI, RI, VARI) and applications where composite parts are exposed to continuous heat loads. It is commonly used for the manufacturing of composite materials made from glass fiber, carbon fiber, and aramid fabrics, as well as optical applications such as visible carbon fiber parts.
Why is the vacuum infusion process so efficient?
The vacuum infusion process allows the production of high-strength and lightweight components by drawing liquid infusion resin into dry reinforcement fibers under vacuum. This results in a homogeneous resin distribution, which enables material savings and improved laminate quality. This method is particularly established in boat building, aerospace, and the automotive industry. The combination of optimal fiber impregnation and reduced resin consumption ensures efficient manufacturing with minimal waste. Additionally, a higher environmental friendliness is achieved, as less excess resin needs to be disposed of. This contributes not only to cost efficiency but also to sustainable production.
Where is infusion resin used?
Vacuum infusion is used in numerous industrial fields, including mold making, lightweight construction, GRP (glass fiber reinforced plastic) and CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced plastic), as well as wind turbine construction. By using the right vacuum infusion accessories, such as sealing tapes, flow aids, or vacuum films, the process can be optimally tailored to the respective application. The choice of a suitable 2K epoxy resin depends on factors like processing time, temperature resistance, and mechanical requirements. Those wishing to purchase high-quality infusion resin should ensure an optimal matching of resin and hardener to guarantee reliable and reproducible processing. Furthermore, it enables the realization of complex component geometries, which would be difficult to achieve with other methods. The high process control ensures consistently high quality in every application.
What advantages does infusion resin offer compared to other resin systems?
Compared to hand laminating processes or injection molding techniques, the vacuum injection process provides better component quality as the resin content is optimized and the fiber content can be increased. Additionally, air inclusions are minimized, improving the mechanical stability and service life of the components. While polyester resins often exhibit higher shrinkage and lower long-term durability, a high-quality 2K epoxy resin ensures durable performance and high resistance to environmental influences. This makes it the preferred choice for safety-critical applications with high demands for durability and load-bearing capacity. Through precise dosage and adjustment of the mixing ratios, the curing time can be accurately controlled. With a wide range of infusion resins and suitable vacuum infusion accessories, HP-Textiles offers precise solutions for every application.