ISO 4597-1:2005

Overview

ISO 4597-1:2005 - Plastics - Hardeners and accelerators for epoxy resins - Part 1: Designation defines a standardized, coded method for designating commercial epoxy resin hardeners and accelerators. The standard assigns each product a four-group numeric designation (four groups of two digits) that encodes the product’s chemical base, modifiers/solvents, viscosity class and additives. The goal is to make it easier for users to compare and select products when manufacturers include the designation on technical data sheets.

Key topics and requirements

• Designation format: Four groups of two digits (e.g., 06 12 02 00), separated by spaces.
  • Group 1 (first two digits): chemical structure (polyamines, anhydrides, dicyandiamide, imidazoles, etc.).
  • Group 2 (second two digits): modifiers and solvents (reactive agents, accelerators, solvents, combinations).
  • Group 3 (third two digits): viscosity class (defined viscosity bands at 23 °C, e.g., 0.25, >0.25–1, >1–5, >5–15, >15 Pa·s).
  • Group 4 (final two digits): additives (fillers, colorants, thixotropes, emulsifiers, etc.).
• Consistency of use: Products with similar compositions and properties share the same designation, aiding comparison and procurement.
• Viscosity measurement: Reference to ISO 3219 for viscosity determination using rotational viscometers; other internationally specified viscometers may be used if they give equivalent results.
• Limits of the designation: Special characteristics (e.g., specific performance parameters) are not part of the numeric designation and must be reported as actual measured values with applicable test references.
• Manufacturer responsibility: The designation does not replace the need to state actual values, tolerances and test methods in product data sheets.

Applications and who uses it

• Formulators and chemists: Rapidly identify compatible hardeners/accelerators for epoxy formulations by chemical class and viscosity band.
• Procurement and specification writers: Standardized codes simplify product comparison across suppliers and enable clearer procurement/specification documents.
• Quality assurance and labs: Use designations to map incoming materials to internal testing regimes and to confirm documented product classes.
• Technical sales and data-sheet authors: Include ISO 4597-1 designations in datasheets to improve clarity and marketability.

Related standards

• ISO 3219 - referenced for viscosity measurement (rotational viscometers).
• Consult applicable international test standards when reporting special characteristics and measured values.

Keywords: ISO 4597-1, epoxy resin hardeners, accelerators for epoxy resins, epoxy hardener classification, viscosity classes, ISO 3219, product designation, epoxy formulators.