Effect of active diluents on mechanical properties of epoxy resin binders

A study was made of the effect of a highly active diluent (ETF-10) on the mechanical properties of a solidified binder prepared from ED-16 epoxy resin. It was shown that the use of this diluent enables low viscosity binders to be obtained without a marked reduction of mechanical properties in the hardened state. It is essential that the diluent took part in solidification. Results are explained by the theory of free volume.