COBALT ACCELERATORS

Curing Unsaturated Polyester Resins at room temperature cannot be effected by an organic

peroxide only, an accelerator should be added as well. In most cases cobalt octoates are
preferred, as they can be applied in combination with a wide range of peroxides and besides,
because of some specific properties, viz.:

- By varying the quantity of cobalt octoate, the reaction speed can be rather well adapted to the
working circumstances.
- The potlife of the polyester resin is hardly influenced by the addition of cobalt accelerator
- Cobalt accelerators have a rather small influence on the resin color. The resin is not
discolored by U.V.light.
- Cobalt accelerators make a resin less sensitive to air inhibition.

It should be taken into consideration, however, that pigments and fillers easily absorb cobalt
accelerators and render them inactive.

A dosage of minimum 0.3% is necessary to get on efficient cure reaction at room temperature.

Also at elevated temperatures small amounts of cobalt accelerator are used to speed up the
reaction (corrugated sheeting, filament winding).
 COBALT ACCELERATORS

Description : Cobalt octoate in diluents

Cobalt content (%) :6

Flash point C : 68

Density : 0.98
Appearance : Clear, red- violet liquids

Miscible with : Styrene, polyesters, ketones, hydrocarbons & plasticisers.

In miscible with : Water and alcohols

Standard packing : Metal containers, Contents 20 kilos net.

Stability and storage : Our cobalt accelerators are stable under normal
circumstances. If the material is stored in accordance with
our directions (see over leaf) the decrease in activity,
even after six months, will be hardly perceptible.

Directions for storage and handling

1. Keep accelerators separated from peroxides, during storage and do never mix them directly
together.
2. Store in a cool dry place (max. 25 C) do not expose to direct sunlight.
3. Contact with naked fire and other sources of heat should be avoided.
4. Keep packaging closed during storage.
5. Rough handling is to be avoided
6. Spillage has to be removed from the floor, It can be absorbed in mica flour.

ALL INFORMATION COLLECTED IN THIS DATA SHEET IS BASED ON CONSCIENTIOUSLY RUN

EXPERIMENTS AND OUR EXPERIENCE OF YEARS AND IS CONSIDERED TO BE RELIABLE. HOWEVER,
WITH SUCH A WIDE FIELD OF APPLICATION WE CANNOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY, ALSO WITH
RESPECT TO PATENT RIGHTS, IN INDIVIDUAL CASES.