Effects of water on epoxy- resin systems

The effect of continuous immersion in water on the tensile strength, tensile elongation, tensile modulus, flexural strength, flexural strain, and bond strength of five different epoxy- resin systems was evaluated. The water absorption of the five systems was also obtained. The test results indicate that the use of a modifier in proper amounts will produce a large increase in strength and elonagtion and a large decrease in tensile modulus and water absorption. Two of the modifiers tested, polyimide and amidopolyamine, produced epoxy- resins systems which were not deleteriously affected by immersion.