EpoKwick™ FC Fast Cure Epoxy Mounting Compound for Top Quality Sample Preparation in Materialography

At the Control show to be held in Stuttgart/Germany from 9-12 May 2017, Buehler ITW Test & Measurement will be showcasing at its Booth 5135 in Hall 5 its new premium epoxy mounting system EpoKwick™ FC, which cures without a furnace within no more than two hours, so that mounted samples will be available for the next processing step within the shortest possible time.

EpoKwick FC provides the lowest mix viscosity available in a room temperature cured epoxy, and therefore offers maximum penetration of gaps, cracks and pores. In addition, the new epoxy system, consisting of resin and hardener, has a strong physical adherence. Shrinkage gaps are avoided in most samples, so there are no voids between the mounting material and the sample. The sample edges are protected, and the risk of contamination is minimised. With these outstanding features, EpoKwick™ FC is ideal for mounting samples that cannot withstand the higher temperatures and pressures resulting from the use of a mounting press.

Typical applications of this clear epoxy mounting system include the analysis of automotive and aerospace components, such as thermal spray coatings on frames, turbine blades, gearwheels, fasteners and other components, along with failure analysis, powder metallurgy and additive manufacturing, heat exchangers and many more. Generally, EpoKwick™ FC is the epoxy system of choice when fast curing times, low shrinkage and low viscosity are required, for example in quality control laboratories testing products with metals, alloys, carbides or ceramics. For analysing samples with higher temperature sensitivity, e.g. certain plastic materials, Buehler recommends its EpoThin™ 2 or EpoxiCure™ 2 mounting compounds.

As Dr Evans Mogire, EU Technical and Laboratory Manager at Buehler sums up: “With the development of EpoKwick™ FC, we can now offer our customers a fast curing premium epoxy system that outperforms similar resin systems on the market on viscosity and shrinkage. Therefore, for applications requiring enhanced edge protection and good impregnation, EpoKwick FC is the resin of choice with an added advantage of faster cure times.”

Additional to its epoxy systems, Buehler offers black, red and blue pigments to enhance, where necessary, the contrast between mounting compound and sample for image analysis. For additional information on Buehler's epoxy mounting compounds please click here.

Buehler ITW Test & Measurement also offers a broad portfolio of sectioning and precision sectioning machines adapted to the requirements of specific applications, mounting equipment including the associated epoxy and acrylic resins, grinding and polishing machines, as well as Rockwell Vickers/Knoop, Brinell and universal hardness testing systems.