VE140 is a high-performance epoxy novalac vinylester resin system suitable for the construction and sealing/coating of composite fuel tanks. It is also suitable for non-fuel/chemical contact applications requiring superior mechanical properties or high temperature resistance, up to 140°C service temperature.
VE140 is low viscosity and offers fast wet-out glass, carbon fibre and a wide range of other reinforcements. It is recommended for hand laminating but can also be used filament winding, spray-up and resin infusion, subject to correct process parameters.
Although VE140 can be cured at room temperature, an elevated temperature post-cure is required to reach full mechanical properties, temperature resistance and chemical resistance. For fuel tank sealing or construction, an elevated temperature post-cure should always be undertaken.
Typical Uses
As well as fuel and chemical exposure applications, the mechanical performance and high service temperature of VE140 make it suitable for a wide range of uses:
- Composite fuel tank construction (carbon fibre, glass fibre, aramid fibre)
- Composite fuel tank coating or sealing (fumed silica and solution MW recommended)
- Chemical resistant fabrication/coating (solvents, acids, chlorine etc.)
- High temperature fibreglass/GRP applications (up to 140°C service temperature)
How to Buy
VE140 is available to buy online in 1kg and 5kg sizes. VE140 requires cobalt accelerator and MEKP to cure and are available as 'add-on' items when purchasing VE140.
For 1kg packs: 250g of AC1 Cobalt Accelerator and 25g of MEKP are recommended.
For 5kg packs: 250g of AC1 Cobalt Accelerator and 125g of MEKP are recommended.
Further Information
Requires Cobalt Accelerator
VE140 is unaccelerated and requires cobalt accelerator to achieve full cure. 3% by weight of a 1% cobalt dilution, such as AC1 Cobalt Accelerator (1%), should be added to the resin immediately prior to use. See TDS for full details.
Requires MEKP Catalyst
VE140 is cured using MEKP (methyl ethyl ketone peroxide) catalyst. The reactivity of the resin will be determined by both the percentage of cobalt accelerator, and the percentage of MEKP catalyst. For most application, the addition of 2% (standard reactivity) MEKP is suggested. See TDS for full details.
Use as a Gelcoat
To act as a fuel or chemical resistant gelcoat, VE140 can be thickened using 3% (by weight) fumed silica to create a spray-gel consistency or 5% (by weight) fumed silica to create a brush-gel consistency. The resin will retain a light tack, suitable for backing up, for around 24hrs.
Use as a Sealer
To use VE140 as a fuel/chemical resistant flow-coat/sealer, it should be thickened with 5% fumed silica to achieve a brush-gel consistency. One or more coats can be applied, waiting for previous coats to cure to the B-stage. To achieve a tack-free finish, 2% solution MW (wax additive) should be added to the final coat.
