Dicyandiamide, with the chemical name dihydroxydiamine or cyanoguanidine, is a dimer of cyanamide. At room temperature, it is a white prismatic crystalline powder without odor and is relatively stable. However, when heated in an aqueous solution to above 80℃, it will slowly decompose and produce ammonia.

Core advantages and features

The wide application of dicyandiamide stems from several key characteristics of it:

• Latent curing agent: In the epoxy resin system, dicyandiamide reacts extremely slowly at room temperature, but it can rapidly initiate the curing reaction at high temperatures (usually above 180℃). This "latent" property makes it an ideal curing agent for single-component epoxy adhesives and powder coatings. The cured product has a light color, does not turn yellow, and has excellent performance.

• Nitrogenase inhibitor (environmental value): In agriculture, dicyandiamide is an efficient nitrogenase inhibitor. It can slow down the conversion rate of ammonium nitrogen in the soil to nitrate nitrogen, thereby reducing the leaching loss of nitrogen fertilizer and the emission of greenhouse gas (N₂O), and improving fertilizer utilization rate.

• High-purity product characteristics: For high-end applications, there is a special electronic-grade dicyandiamide. Its purity is over 99.8%, and the content of metals such as iron and calcium is extremely low (for example, calcium ≤ 25 ppm, iron ≤ 2 ppm). It has excellent insulation properties and is suitable for electronic materials such as copper-clad laminates.

Main purpose

The applications of dicyandiamide span multiple industries, as shown in the following table:

Safety and Storage

Dicyandiamide is generally regarded as a low-toxic or non-toxic substance. However, during storage, it should be avoided from being mixed with strong acids, strong bases, and strong oxidants (such as potassium chlorate) to prevent dangerous reactions. It should be stored in a sealed container in a cool and dry place.