How it all started
The history of epoxy dates back to Switzerland in 1936, when Dr. Pierre Castan succeeded in synthesising the first epoxy polymer by curing it with phthalic acid anhydride.
Around the same time, Dr. Sylvan Greenlee in the United States was also developing epoxy resins by reacting epichlorohydrin and Bisphenol A. He created a very popular type of epoxy resins, known as BADGE or DGEBA, which has become the most widely commercialised resin of its kind.
DID YOU KNOW?
The purpose behind such experiments was to find a binding agent for coatings that was resistant to caustic base, but it soon became clear that epoxy had a lot more beneficial properties. Over the years, epoxy’s use expanded to the aerospace, electronics, automotive and maritime industries as well as foods, pharmaceutics and other manufacturing sectors.