Epichlorohydrin (ECH or EPI)
Epichlorohydrin (ECH) is a liquid epoxide most frequently manufactured by the chlorohydrination of allyl chloride or by the conversion of glycerin through dichlorohydrins to epichlorohydrin. The principal uses for ECH are in the production of epoxy resins (liquid and solid), synthetic glycerin, elastomers, specialty water-treatment chemicals, wet-strength resins for paper production, and surfactants. Epoxy resins are the largest end use for ECH. Most epoxy resins are made from bisphenol A (BPA) and ECH. Epoxy resins are used in making protective coatings for vessels, metal structures, flooring coatings, laminates, and fiber-reinforced composites. Some of the composites are used in windmill blades for wind power generation and also in the aerospace industry. Other applications that use ECH as a raw material include textile antistatic agents, special printing inks and dyes, ion-exchange resins, surface active agents mostly used in cosmetics and shampoos, rubbers that need improved resistance to extreme temperatures, seals and gaskets, and insecticides, bactericides, and fungicides used in agriculture.