Effective Measures for Energy Conservation and Assurance of Baking Quality of Epoxy Coating

　　Epoxy coating is one of the optimal metal coatings as well as the most universal coating used the earliest in steel drum industry. Epoxy resin is exactly one of the major film forming substances for epoxy coating.
　　The active epoxy group as contained in the epoxy resin is available for cross linking and curing with numerous organic compounds to form solid 3D reticular structural film. Various epoxy coatings of different properties are manufactured based on this property as possessed by the epoxy resin. Among all substances available for cross linking and solidifying with epoxy resin, epoxy resin can ensure the optimal performance and corrosion resistance of the paint film through the cross linking and curing with phenolic resin subjecting to butanol etherification. However, the cross linking and solidifying reaction between the epoxy resin and phenolic resin subjecting to butanol etherification is only available at the temperature over 180℃ . If the temperature is set at 180℃ , the leading time for cross linking and solidifying reaction shall be extended by more than 45 minutes. Only the cross linking and solidifying reaction under such condition can ensure 30% water discharge as well as zero release of other byproducts and minimum shrinkage, which can provide solid and compact reticular structural paint film. Cross linking and solidifying reaction serve as the basis for further enhancement of adhesion, mechanical property as well as corrosion and chemical resistance of the coat.           
　　The only problem is that such reaction condition is not acceptable to steel drum industry. Therefore, many coopery plants prefer to shorten the cross linking and solidifying time by increasing the temperature. Nevertheless, as the roasting equipments and conditions adopted by each cooper plant are different, and it is difficult to check if such temperature and time can ensure the thorough reaction between the epoxy and phenolic resins, it would also be difficult to ensure the thorough cross linking and curing reaction as well as the comprehensive properties of epoxy coating. 
　　Then, what is the way to ensure the thorough reaction between the epoxy and phenolic resins as well as the effective control of reaction conditions? Addition of 3%-5% 1491 accelerant into the epoxy coating can ensure the thorough reaction between the epoxy and phenolic resins within the lead time of 15 minutes at 180℃ (2 minutes would be enough for thorough reaction when the temperature is over 210℃ ). This is favorable for the effective control of baking conditions for epoxy coating, assurance of its properties as well as the reduction of roasting temperature and energy conservation, which can facilitate any coppery plant not provided with high-temperature baking conditions to manufacture steel drums with interior epoxy coating.