It is probably true that no one Poly Urethane liquid plastic will fulfill all your needs. This is exactly why Polytek® has developed such a wide array of products—from our many Poly 15 Series resins to our water-clear Poly-Optic® systems. Our newest Poly Urethane casting resin, EasyFlo™ 60 has some unusual characteristics, making it more versatile than most liquid casting plastics.

EasyFlo™ 60 Is Versatile

EasyFlo™ 60 has superlow viscosity, 1:1 mix ratio by volume, and a 2-3 minute pot-life, and it cures to a white, tough, Shore D-65 hardness, nonbrittle plastic often demolded in just 10 minutes.

Since EasyFlo™ 60 has such a low viscosity, it easily accepts high filler loading. Powdered metals can be added to obtain "bonded bronze." It is also easy to make your plastic part look like marble or another stone-like substance instead of plastic. This effect is often achieved by adding fillers such as calcium carbonate, marble powder, aluminum trihydrate or fly ash to the liquid plastic.

Ivory or Alabaster Appearance from Off-Ratio Mixing

Where a semitranslucent, stone-like appearance that has some depth is sought, it may be desirable to take advantage of an unusual property of EasyFlo™ 60. By off-ratio mixing this resin, a less-brilliant white color can be achieved, providing a depth and feel similar to alabaster or ivory. This effect alone can dramatically reduce the "plastic look" of the casting. In addition, fillers like those described above can be used with off-ratio mixes of EasyFlo™ 60 to achieve even more substantial effects, since the slight surface translucency permits greater visibility of filler particles.

Invent Your Own Recipe

Off-ratio mixing of EasyFlo™ 60 involves some experimentation, so here are some guidelines. The above effects are achieved by the use of more Part A than typically suggested (1 Part A to 1 Part B, by volume, is normal). A mix of 1.5 Parts A to 1 Part B by volume is extreme, but still possible. It should be noted that the use of excess Part A increases both the pot life and demold time. Smaller objects or castings with thin sections may need to be left in a mold longer to avoid distortion. Color and translucency may vary with the size of a casting due to the heat (exotherm) associated with a given mass of resin. Since conditions can vary greatly, we suggest you complete careful testing to determine the suitability of these techniques for your own application.

Special thanks to Polytek for providing this content. Copyright © 2001, Polytek Development Corp. All Rights Reserved.