Experiment § Passed the UL certification of moisture hardening resin
Many materials used in the electronics industry require UL flame-retardant certification. A battery manufacturer once asked us to develop solder joint protection UV resin that meets flame retardant specifications. After a year of hard work, we finally passed the UL94 V-0 certification, and the flame retardant UV resin HD1232 was born.The development of UL-certified materials is not easy; sometimes the material itself is flammable; sometimes, the flame retardant has an unexpected reaction with the material (for example, acid-base, oxygen deficiency, metal ions, etc.); sometimes, it isn't easy to make the test pieces that meet the certification. UL company is only responsible for testing, and all need for the test piece should be made by ourselves. If the length, width, thickness, appearance of the test piece, air bubbles, the other quality of the test piece does not reach the UL acceptance standard, a replacement is required. We made FS168 moisture-curing resin test pieces a while ago, and the thickness needs to be 1.5~3mm. Because it is too thick, the bottom of the resin poured into the mold cannot be thoroughly dried. To solve this difficulty, we decided to make a large piece of resin and then use a grinder to shave off the resin layer by layer to become a test piece that meets the UL specifications. This little thing is not related to the resin formula, but we must explore it ourselves. From formula development, test piece production to final certification, we have grown a lot through the journey. Now we can finally announce loudly: Everwide Chemical has a flame-retardant version of moisture-curing resin! Welcome friends who are interested in contacting our business colleagues!
─ Author: Mr. Hui-Xu, Li
Activity § Poison control zone
There are several raw materials in Everwide listed as toxic substances in the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) announcement. According to the Poison Control Law regulations, the storage of these substances should be in a tightly sealed container with no discharge and no leakage and placed in a cool and dry storage place; this specific place must be locked at any time and managed by a dedicated person. The key to the poison control area is kept by the qualified personnel who have passed the examination; when these materials are needed, the special personnel are responsible for opening, picking, and closing the control area. Strict control is to prevent these substances from being misclaimed or accidentally discharged. The EPA will check the quantity and facility inspections from time to time, and we will also conduct drills on leaks and fires from time to time. Then again, most of the raw materials we use will become part of the resin after the reaction, which is almost non-toxic for our client, please don’t need to worry.
Knowledge § Why do some resins need to be kept cold?
Some single-component resins have high-temperature thermal hardening ability, keeping them at low temperatures can avoid hardener reactions and the loss of catalyst activity. Some resins contain inorganic fillers; these fillers have higher specific gravity than the resin and tend to precipitate in the resin. Keeping such products at low temperatures will make the resin viscosity very high and prevent powder precipitation. Some resins contain anti-sagging agents; these additives have special forces between molecules to provide unique rheological behavior. These forces will gradually decline under the influence of the formula. If the resin is stored at a low temperature, the anti-sagging characteristics' stability can be greatly improved.
The latter two situations may also occur in two-component formulations, so some two-component formulations also need to be refrigerated.
Living § Challenge yourself, complete the goal
At the beginning of cycling, I just wanted to exercise, relax, and look at the different scenery.
Later, I joined a club formed by cycling enthusiasts, gradually became interested in the sport, and challenged some famous cycling routes. One of the two most impressive activities is the 240-kilometer challenge itinerary of Douliu – Tataga Visitor Center – Ali Mountain – Douliu. When I saw the New Central Cross-island Fuci Tree, it was hard to hide the excitement in my heart! The second challenge is from Taroko, the East-West Transverse Highway, to the Wuling Archway; those who have driven past will be impressed by its beauty. This route is known as the classic challenge route of cycling: a total climb of 3681 meters for 89 kilometers, which takes 7 hours. From these data, we can imagine its difficulty, which always attracts us to the challenge. When we reached the highest point of Wuling (3275m), although everyone's hands and feet become weak, they still boasted about this trip. Some people say: walking is too slow, and driving is too fast, only the bicycle's speed is the best for enjoying the scenery. I very much agree with this idea. There are still many beautiful places in Taiwan waiting for us to explore by bike, and we should seize the opportunity when we are young and physically healthy. Perhaps facing difficulties and hardships along the way, the sense of accomplishment is indescribable at the end of the journey; it is the attraction of sports. I also found that the experience I got from sports is the same as my feeling at work: I always challenge myself to achieve the goal.
─ Author: Mr. Geng-Chang, Shi
