Potassium Octoate (Accelerator for Latent)

Potassium Octoate (potassium 2-ethylhexanoate) is a metal carboxylate accelerator used in anhydride-cured and DICY-based epoxy systems, and as a catalyst for isocyanate-polyol reactions in polyurethane formulations. In epoxy systems, potassium octoate acts as a nucleophilic catalyst promoting the anhydride-hydroxyl and anhydride-epoxy reactions, providing acceleration particularly effective in combination with tertiary amines such as BDMA or DMP-30. In polyurethane foam and elastomer systems, potassium octoate is a potent trimerization catalyst (promoting isocyanurate ring formation) and blowing catalyst when used in PIR (polyisocyanurate) rigid foam applications. In composite manufacturing, its primary use is as a co-catalyst in anhydride-epoxy electrical potting systems where precise control of the anhydride-epoxy esterification rate is needed. Potassium octoate is supplied as a clear, viscous solution (typically 50–80% in a carrier solvent or reactive diluent) and is fully miscible with epoxy and anhydride systems. Dosage in epoxy systems is typically 0.1–0.5% by weight. It is non-amine and non-cobalt, making it useful in applications where amine or cobalt contamination would be undesirable.