Everwide newsletter No.455

Experiment § Epoxy Resin for Polymer Compounding

Compounding is carried out to enhance the mechanical performance of polymer products, improve molding processes, and reduce production costs. To achieve this, various additives must be incorporated into the polymer materials. The epoxy resins used in polymer compounding are often required to have several key properties. First, they should contain multiple epoxy functional groups, so that even at low addition levels, there remains sufficient reactive functionality within the structure. Second, they should exhibit low yellowing under high temperatures. The compounding process typically involves a high thermal history, often exceeding 200 °C. Therefore, the epoxy resin itself should be transparent or light yellow and capable of maintaining color stability after thermal exposure, minimizing color variation in the final plastic products (Fig. 1). Third, a high softening point is preferred. The resin should be in a powder or granular form at room temperature to prevent caking during storage (Fig. 2), which facilitates processing. Everwide has developed a solid epoxy resin that shows only slight yellowing after being baked at 215 °C for one hour (Figs. 3, 4). It has a softening point of 80–90 °C and does not cake under room temperature storage conditions (Fig. 5). With an epoxy equivalent weight (EEW) of approximately 340, it offers a good balance of chemical reactivity and physical toughness. If you are interested in this product, please contact us.  

 — Author: Mr. Jung-Shin Lin

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Activity § Shipwrecks Taiwan

Recently, we rented a theater and invited colleagues, their families and friends, as well as schools and nonprofit organizations, to jointly watch the Taiwanese deep-sea documentary "Shipwrecks Taiwan." The film follows divers as they explore the underwater world down to 50 meters, capturing stunning scenes of fish swimming among eight shipwrecks. These shipwrecks serve as indicators of marine ecology, allowing observation of ocean health through details such as coral coverage and fish species diversity (Figs. 1–3). The documentary reveals the severe damage caused to marine ecosystems by human overfishing, the effects of selective fishing, and marine debris. Taiwan’s culture and resources are closely tied to the ocean. Through this event, we hope to raise awareness of the ocean, promote environmental consciousness, and encourage protective actions among all participants.

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Knowledge § What is dynamic fatigue?(3)

When dynamic fatigue stress is applied to polymer materials, it causes localized molecular chain slippage. These cyclic stresses repeatedly concentrate in specific slip zones, causing them to widen and deepen. Over time, the molecular chains begin to break, eventually forming microcracks—this marks the onset of mechanical fatigue failure. As these microcracks accumulate, they gradually develop into visible cracks. Initially, crack growth is slow, but once a certain threshold is exceeded, the growth rate increases significantly, ultimately leading to material failure. For the same polymer material under dynamic fatigue, higher fatigue stress tends to result in thermal fatigue failure, while lower fatigue stress is more likely to cause mechanical fatigue failure. These two failure modes can transition between each other depending on the applied stress range.

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Living § My Reason for Entering Taiwan’s Education Field

As a college freshman, I helped plan a science camp, designing chemistry experiments and group activities to enhance the learning experience for participants. I focused on how to engage elementary and middle school students with simple and fun lessons to spark their interest in learning. In my sophomore year, I became a teacher trainee, taking education courses and gaining practical experience by observing classes and discussing teaching methods with teachers. These experiences built a strong foundation in both theory and practice. I still remember my first teaching demonstration—excited but nervous. I invested a significant amount of time planning innovative lessons to motivate my students. Teaching is more than delivering content; it’s about managing the classroom and creating a positive learning environment. Seeing students’ smiles and eagerness gave me deep fulfillment and reinforced my commitment to education. Today, fewer people in Taiwan pursue teaching, especially in STEM fields, as many opt for careers in the tech industry instead. However, I remain passionate about education and hope more enthusiastic educators will join to nurture Taiwan’s future talents.                                                                     — Author: Mr. Cheng-Han Tsai