Curing agent for aqueous epoxy resin dispersions, process for its preparation and its use

A method comprising curing by mixing a curing agent with an epoxy resin, said curing agent comprising:

• (i) about 10 to 80% by weight of at least one emulsifier which includes at least one polyalkylene-polyether-diamine-group represented by the following formula:
• ##STR32## wherein the R.sup.1 groups may be the same or different and each is selected from hydrogen, straight or branched chain alkyl residues having 1-6 carbon atoms, or straight or branched chain alkyl radicals having 1-6 carbon atoms substituted with one or more phenyl residues, the R.sup.4 groups may be the same or different, and each is selected from alkylene groups having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, n is an integer of 1 to 5, and x is an integer of from 8-90,
• (ii) about 1-80% by weight of a coemulsifier comprising at least one polyalkylene polyamine group of the following formula:
• ##STR33## wherein the R.sup.1 group and n are as defined above, and y is an integer of from 1-6, and
• (iii) about 5-80% by weight of at least one bis(diamine)-diepoxide-adduct comprising at least two amino-alcohol groups of the following formula:
• ##STR34## wherein the R.sup.1 groups are as defined above, and A is an alkylene residue, cycloalkylene residue, a polyalkylene-polyether-residue, or a bivalent residue comprising alkyl groups and cycloalkyl and/or aromatic groups.