Specialty Anhydrides
Broadview offers a range of high-quality specialty anhydrides tailored for diverse applications.
Our products have numerous advantages over other epoxy curing agents. In addition to being cost effective, our anhydrides offer strength, thermal stability, low toxicity and non-critical mix ratios. They have low shrinkage upon cure and maintain excellent electrical properties.
Versatility is another benefit of our anhydrides. Castings and reinforced structures can be manufactured with superior physical properties coupled with Tg’s up to 275° C. They also can be used to manufacture flexible films that can withstand continuous exposure to 230°C.
The long pot life and low viscosity of anhydride cured epoxies facilitate ease of work, making them ideally suited for electrical, composites and filament winding applications. Epoxy resins cured with anhydrides can be fully cured at temperatures as low as 70° C. Alternatively, such systems can be accelerated to cure within minutes at 150° C for pultrusion and resin transfer molding. With over a dozen different anhydrides available for the curing of epoxy resins, we offer the greatest variety of anhydrides and anhydride systems to solve your problems.
Learn more about our specialty anhydrides
Why choose Broadview Technologies?
Broadview Technologies is committed to the safe handling and use of our environmentally safe, low toxicity anhydrides. The specialty anhydrides that we offer include fully hydrogenated cyclo-aliphatic and aliphatic anhydrides for UV stability, as well as liquid anhydrides for composite manufacture and electrical casting. In addition, we have developed polymeric anhydrides for improved thermal cycling and impact resistance. Broadview also manufactures pre-catalyzed and formulated anhydrides.
New to Broadview’s line are a 70°C curing, low-viscosity, resin-infusion system and a two-phase toughened anhydride system that maintains a high HDT. If you would like to learn more about our new product, you can view the data sheets for this, and all of our other products here.
Frequently Asked Questions about Specialty Anhydrides
What is an anhydride?
Organic anhydrides are monomers that are effective epoxy curing agents.
What are the benefits of anhydride over other methods of curing epoxy?
These qualities make anhydrides a better method for curing epoxy:
- Lower mix viscosities
- Longer working times once mixed making them ideal for filament winding, pultrusion and pressure gelation.
- Less shrinkage upon cure giving better dimensional stability.
- Provide higher Tgs.
- Better electrical insulation properties especially for high voltage equipment.
What’s the difference between anhydride and amine curing?
- Anhydride curing involves a ring opening that is an expansion offsetting the shrinkage that occurs when bonds are formed. Amines do not do this.
- Amines have low activation energy requirements and will begin curing and increasing viscosity shortly after mixing with epoxy resins. Anhydrides have higher activation energy requirements giving consistent viscosities at room temperature for hours. This enables mixes to produce consistent products on lines for entire shifts.
- Anhydrides create tighter cross link densities which reduce the ability of moisture vapor to penetrate the resin matrix.
- Due to the higher crosslink density the Tg and tensile strength will be higher with anhydride curing agents.
- Anhydride cured epoxy systems are frequently more economical .
Why are anhydrides used to cure epoxy resins?
Anhydrides create strong, highly crosslinked epoxy networks, resulting in:
- High heat resistance
- High glass transition temps
- Excellent electrical insulation
- Low moisture sensitivity
- Long working time (pot life)
These properties make anhydrides ideal for high‑performance composite and aerospace applications.
Are anhydride systems better for pultrusion?
Yes, long working times coupled with low viscosity and fast curing makes anhydride systems ideal for pultruding high Tg parts.
What industries use anhydride‑cured epoxy systems?
Anhydride‑based epoxy systems are widely used in:
- Filament winding
- Aerospace and defense
- High‑temperature surface treatments
- Advanced composites and coatings
- Electrical potting and encapsulation
- Electrical distribution
What are the benefits of anhydrides in filament winding?
In filament winding, anhydrides offer:
- Extended processing time
- Controlled curing
- Consistent fiber wet‑out
- Strong fiber‑matrix bonding
This supports the production of pressure vessels, pipes, tanks, and aerospace structures.
How do anhydrides improve high‑temperature performance?
Anhydride‑cured epoxies improve high-temp performance because they have:
- High glass transition temperature (Tg)
- Thermal and dimensional stability
- Resistance to heat and thermal cycling
These qualities are essential for heat‑resistant coatings and aerospace components.
Are anhydrides used in flexibilizers?
Yes, certain anhydrides are provide:
- Improved toughness
- Low thermal expansion coefficient
- Superior hot/wet strength retention
How does Broadview Technologies use anhydrides?
Broadview Technologies develops anhydride curing agents, flexibilizers, and fire‑retardant solutions for epoxy systems. Products are tailored to customer requirements in composites, aerospace, and high‑temperature applications.
Still have questions?
Don’t hesitate to contact us today with any questions or requests that you have. We would be happy to speak with you and to learn more about how we can help you.