As curing agents, aliphatic and cycloaliphatic polyamines and polyaminoamides are used. Reactive diluents are low viscous glycidyl ethers of mono-functional or bi-functional aliphatic alcohols or alkyl phenols. Unlike non-reactive diluents, reactive diluents take part in the curing reaction in accordance with their functionality and are incorporated in molecular, thermoset polymer network.
Compared to unmodified epoxy resins the use of reactive diluents has a positive influence on the properties such as viscosity, processing ,flow, pot life, wetting of the fillers and pigments or flexibilisation in accordance with the application. End properties such as compressive strength, tensile and bending strength, resistance to chemical and heat are limited when there is too high reactive diluent content. The volumes used in practice are generally between 5% to 30% relative to the content of base resin. Selection of the suitable epoxy resin/ diluent combination depends on the desired end properties e.g chemical resistance, temperature resistance, mechanical end properties and price.