Fast-curing epoxy systems

A low-alkyl phenol composition comprising:

• a) an epoxy resin,
• b) a cyclic amine having at least two secondary cyclic amino groups belonging to the same cycle of the cyclic amine,
• c) a salt of a Brønsted acid,
• d) a diamine or polyamine, which is not a cyclic amine having at least two secondary cyclic amino groups belonging to the same cycle of the cyclic amine, and
• e) optional auxiliaries and/or additives;
• wherein a) is present in an amount of from 30 to 95 wt %, based on the total weight of the composition;
• wherein b) is present in an amount of from 1 to 50 wt %, based on the total weight of the composition, and is selected from the group consisting of 1H-octahydroimidazo[4,5-c]pyridine, 1,4,8-triazaspiro[4.5]decane, 1,4-diazaspiro[4.5]decane, pyrazolidine, 2,2-dimethylimidazolidine, 1,4,7-triazacyclononane, hexahydropyridazine, tetradecahydrophenazine, decahydroquinoxaline, octahydro-1H-cyclopentapyrazine, piperazine, 2-methylpiperazine, 2,2-dimethylpiperazine, 2,3-dimethylpiperazine, 2-ethylpiperazine, 2,5-dimethylpiperazine, 2,6-dimethylpiperazine, 2,3,5,6-tetramethylpiperazine, 2,3,5-trimethylpiperazine, 2-(2-piperidinyl)piperazine, homopiperazine, 2-methylhomopiperazine, and 6-methyl-1,4-diazepane;
• wherein c) is present in an amount of from 0.001 to 5 wt %, based on the total weight of the composition, the Brønsted acid of the salt has a pKa of from 2 to −9, and the counterion of the salt is selected from a metal ion, a metal-containing ion, a phosphonium ion, and a NH4 ion;
• wherein d) is present in an amount such that b) accounts for at least 70 wt % of the combined weight of b) and d) in the composition;
• wherein e) are optionally present in an amount of up to 48 wt %, based on the total weight of the composition;
• and
• wherein alkylphenols are present in an amount of not more than 10% by weight, based on the total weight of the composition.