A dynamic DSC study of the curing process of epoxy resin

In order to expand the industrial usefulness of an isothermal time-temperature-transformation (TTT) cure diagram, a method to make it applicable to a solid-state sample involving only resins and a catalyst was studied by using dynamic DSC (DDSC) and cone plate dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). To estimate how much curing occurred for an industrially used epoxy resin molding compound manufactured in a production process was also studied, together with its position in the TTT cure diagram. The TTT cure diagram proved to be useful for determining the differences between compounds without their dissolution in a solvent, and for estimating their heat history during the production process.     

Aspects of epoxy resin curing reactions

The progress that has been made in establishing the mechanism of the curing reaction between epoxides and amines, particularly through the use of calorimetric methods (DSC), is discussed. A novel application of tritium-labelled compounds to the study of the reaction of epoxides with imidazoles is also presented. The radiochemical method has produced an enhanced understanding of the reaction mechanism and has given kinetic data in good agreement with DSC measurements.     

Study on curing of novolac epoxy resin

The optimization of proportions of novolac epoxy resin, Dobeckot E4 and polyamide hardener, EH411 has been established by DSC and the data indicates that resin-polyamide, 100∶40 and 100∶50, appear to be optimum where ‘extent of cure’ is maximum. The kinetic parameters for these formulations have been evaluated using isothermal and dynamic modes by employing DSC. The rate constants have been evaluated for curing process of these formulations using isothermal DSC mode in the temperature range of 70°–90°C. These have also been predicted at 20°±1°C (room temperature) by extrapolating the data obtained at elevated temperatures. A comparison of the predicted values with the experimental values shows that there is a good agreement between them.     

Heat of reaction and curing of epoxy resin

The heat of reaction and kinetics of curing of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA) type of epoxy resin with catalytic amounts of ethylmethylimidazole (EMI) have been studied by differential power-compensated calorimetry as a part of the program for the study of process monitoring for composite materials. The results were compared with those from 1∶1 and 1∶2 molar mixtures of DGEBA and EMI. A method of determination of heat of reaction from dynamic thermoanalytical instruments was given according to basic thermodynamic principles. The complicated mechanism, possibly involving initial ionic formation, has also been observed in other measurements, such as by time-domain dielectric spectroscopy. The behavior of commercially available DGEBA resin versus purified monomeric DGEBA were compared. The melting point of purified monomeric DGEBA crystals is 41.4 °C with a heat of fusion of 81 J/g. The melt of DGEBA is difficult to crystallize upon cooling. The glass transition of purified DGEBA monomer occurs around ?22 °C with aΔC _p of 0.60 J/K/g.     

Effect of substituents on the curing of liquid crystalline epoxy resin

The synthesis of an aromatic ester based liquid crystalline epoxy resin (LCE) with a substituent in the mesogenic central group is described. Chlorine and methyl groups were introduced as substituents. The curing behaviors of three epoxy resins were investigated using diaminodiphenyl ester as the curing agent. The curing rate and heat of curing of LCE were measured with dynamic and isothermal DSC. The chlorine substituent accelerated the curing of LCE, while the methyl substituent decelerated the curing of LCE. The heat of curing of substituted LCE was diminished compared to LCE with no substituent. Glass transition temperature and elastic modulus of LCE decreased with increasing the size of the substituent. Three liquid crystalline epoxy resins based on aromatic ester mesogenic groups formed a liquid crystalline phase after curing, and the liquid crystalline phase was stable up to the decomposition temperature. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 911–917, 1998     

A method of impedance measurements for study of curing of ED-20 epoxy resin

The method of impedance measurements was tested in a study of curing of ED-20 epoxy resin with 1,2,3,6-tetrahydro-3-methylphthalic anhydride (CAS 5333-84-6) in a thin layer between capacitor plates. A new equivalent electric circuit was suggested to describe the dielectric properties of the resin without using empirical equations.     

The effect of zeolite on the curing of epoxy resin by polyaniline: a kinetic study

Polyaniline sulfate‐zeolite composite was prepared by emulsion polymerization. Epoxy resin was cured using polyaniline‐sulfate salt and various amounts of polyaniline sulfate‐zeolite composite. The kinetics of the cure reaction for an epoxy resin based on the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) with polyaniline‐sulfate and polyaniline sulfate‐zeolite composite have been studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) under isothermal and dynamic conditions. Isothermal kinetics analysis was performed using the phenomenological model of Kamal. Dynamic kinetic analysis was performed using Kissinger's method. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Electrical properties of an epoxy resin during and after curing

By means of an epoxynovolac resin with BF₃ complex the suitability of measurements of electrical properties for the investigation of curing process and for the evaluation of cured resins is illustrated. The origin of electrical conductivity and polarization is elucidated.     

Difunctional effects of [Bmim][DBP] on curing process and flame retardancy of epoxy resin

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - To optimize the curing process and improve the flame retardancy of epoxy resin, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium dibutyl phosphate ([Bmim][DBP]) was used as...     

Effect of new nonionic curing agent on curing kinetics and mechanical properties of epoxy resin

The current research work presents a novel nonionic curing agent (AEDA) synthesized by utilizing ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (EGDE), 3,4-dimethoxyaniline (DI), and triethylenetetramine (TETA). Infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy were used to characterize the structure of AEDA curing agent. Non-isothermal scanning calorimetry was used to determine the activation energy and curing conditions of epoxy resin in the curing process. An impact testing machine, a tensile testing machine and a scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used to analyze the impact strength, tensile strength, bending strength, and micromorphology of the AEDA/E-51 system with different mass ratios. The results show that AEDA is an effective high-temperature curing agent. For the AEDA/E-51 system with the optimal mass ratio of 10:100, the best curing temperature is 92.15°C, and the post-curing temperature is 135.65°C. Furthermore, the apparent activation energy (E_a) of 1670 J/mol, the pre-exponential factor (A) of 3.7 × 10^?4, and the reaction series (n) value of 0.76 are obtained for the AEDA/E-51 system. The impact strength of AEDA/E-51 epoxy resin polymer is 7.82 kJ/m², tensile strength is 14.2 MPa, and bending strength is 18.92 MPa. The micromorphological results of the AEDA/E-51 system are consistent with the results of DSC test and mechanical properties test. Hence, this study provides theoretical support for the practical applications of AEDA as curing agent.     

Differential scanning calorimetric study on the curing behavior of epoxy resin/diethylenetriamine/organic montmorillonite nanocomposite

The curing mechanisms and kinetics of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A with diethylenetriamine as the curing agent and different amounts of organic montmorillonite were examined with isothermal and dynamic scanning calorimetry. The modified Avrami equation was used to calculate the activation energy and reaction orders in the isothermal experiment. A single peak was observed in each dynamic scan. The curing mechanism and kinetics of the curing reaction were also analyzed by two kinds of methods—Kissinger and Flynn–Wall–Ozawa. The results obtained from those methods under dynamic measurement agreed with those obtained from the modified Avrami equation. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 378–386, 2003     

水性环氧树脂的研制及其固化性能研究

采用端甲氧基聚乙二醇、马来酸酐、E-44环氧树脂合成了反应型环氧树脂乳化剂MeO-PEG-Ma-E-44,以相反转乳化技术制备E-44水性环氧树脂,研究了工艺条件对其性能的影响。结果表明:酯化率达98.5%的MeO-PEG-Ma-E-44,用量为E-44的ω=16.5%-20%得到的水性环氧树脂乳液最稳定。DSC和TG分析结果表明:乳化前后的E-44环氧树脂都能室温条件2h内很好的固化,固化后热性能基本不变,分解温度约在380℃,热失重率89%,其玻璃转变温度有所降低,韧性有所提高,其它性能基本不受影响。     

Isothermal curing of an epoxy resin by alternating differential scanning calorimetry

The quasi-isothermal curing of a diepoxide resin with a triamine of polyoxypropylene was studied by alternating differential scanning calorimetry (ADSC), which is a temperature modulated DSC technique. The complex heat capacity measurements allows to analyse the vitrification process at curing temperatures (T_c) below the maximum glass transition of the fully cured epoxy (T_g∞=85.8°C). Initially, the modulus of the complex heat capacity, |C^*_p|, increases until a maximum (conversion between 0.42 and 0.56) and then decreases. This step is followed by an abrupt decay of |C^*_p|, due to the vitrification of the system, which allows the determination of the vitrification time. This value agrees well with that determined by the partial curing method. The phase angle and out-of-phase heat capacity show an asymmetric wide peak during the vitrification process. The change in |C^*_p| at vitrification decreases with the increase of T_c becoming zero at temperature T_g∞. This epoxy-triamine system shows a delay of the vitrification process respect to other model epoxy systems probably due to the presence of polyoxypropylene chains in the network.

The decay of |C^*_p| during vitrification may be normalised between unity and zero by defining a mobility factor. This mobility factor has been used to simulate the reaction rate during the stage where the reaction is controlled by diffusion. The observed reaction rate is simulated by the product of the kinetic reaction rate, determined by the autocatalytic model, and the mobility factor.     

Synthesis and curing behavior of a novel liquid crystalline epoxy resin

This article described the synthesis and mesomorphic behavior transition of a novel liquid crystalline (LC) epoxy resin 4-(2,3-epoxypropoxy)biphenyl,4″-(2,3-epoxypropoxy)phenyl-4′carboxylate (EBEPC), which combined a hydroxyl benzoic aromatic ester and biphenol rigid-rod group. EBEPC showed a clear nematic schlieren texture under curtain conditions. The reaction kinetics of EBEPC cured by 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl-methane (DDM) was studied by using an isoconversional method under isothermal conditions with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The isothermal DSC data can be fitted reasonably by an autocatalytic curing model. Smectic phases had been observed in the EBEPC/DDM curing system. The results of DSC showed that the formation of the LC phase had pronounced influence on the curing reaction.     

Effects of reactive diluent diepoxidized cardanol and epoxy fortifier on curing kinetics of epoxy resin

Different formulations, composed of the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A, diepoxidized cardanol as reactive diluent, an anhydride as curing agent, and a tertiary amine as curing catalyst, with/without the use of an epoxy fortifier, were analysed. The effect of the fortifier on the diluent was also observed. The overall kinetics of curing was observed to follow a simple Arrhenius-type temperaturedependence, with an activation energy in the range 54–120 kJ/mol, with first-order kinetics up to 85% conversion. An increase in activation energy was observed with an increase of diluent content. The curing reaction was found to follow a three-step mechanism, involving a nucleophilic bimolecular displacement reaction, for which an explanation was offered. Incorporation of the fortifier lowers the curing temperature, but does not alter the final degree of reaction.

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Zusammenfassung Es wurden verschiedene Ausgangsgemische, bestehend aus dem Diglyzidyläther von Bisphenol A, diepoxydiertem Kardanol als reaktives Streckmittel, einem Anhydrid als Vernetzungsmittel und einem tertiären Amin als Vernetzungskatalysator mit bzw. ohne Anwendung eines Fortifyers untersucht. Der Einfluss des Fortifyers auf das Streckmittel wurde ebenfalls untersucht. Die Bruttokinetik der Vernetzung zeigt eine Temperaturabhängigkeit einfachen Arrhenius-Types mit einer Aktivierungsenergie im Bereich von 54–120 kJ/mol sowie einen Reaktionstyp erster Ordnung mit einer Konversionsrate von 85%. Ein steigender Streckmittelgehalt bewirkt ein Anwachsen der Aktivierungsenergie. Der Vernetzungsreaktion liegt ein Dreistufenmechanismus zu Grunde, der unter anderem auch eine nukleofile bimolekulare Substitutionsreaktion beinhaltet. Der Einsatz eines Fortifyers senkt zwar die Vernetzungstemperatur, verändert aber nicht die Endkonversionsrate.

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Vitrification and physical ageing on isothermal curing of an epoxy resin

Vitrification phenomena and further structural relaxation processes or physical ageing occurring in the isothermal curing reaction of an epoxy resin are studied by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). The vitrification time,t _v , the limiting conversion degree and the limiting glass transition temperature (T _g) are evaluated at curing temperatures (T _c) between 30 and 100C. The dependence of limitingT _g withT _c permits the determination of the maximumT _g of the resin (109C). The physical ageing, which appears as the the last step of curing reaction for curing times above to vitrification, is analyzed through the endothermic peak superposed to the glass transition temperature. The results obtained in partially reticulated resin show the kinetics of the physical ageing to slow down asT _c increases, as a consequence that the segmental mobility is reduced.

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Zusammenfassung VitrifikationphÄnomeme und strukturelle Relaxations-respektive AlterungsvorgÄnge von Epoxiden wurden mitells isothermer DSC Messungen untersucht. Die Vitrifikationszeit, der Grenzwert des Unwandlungsgrades und die Grenztemperatur der Glasumwandlung wurden in Bereich von 30 bis 100C ermittelt. Werden Epoxide für Temperaturen unterhalb der Glasumwandlungstemperatur einer thermischen Behandlung ausgesetzt, so bilden sich SpannungszustÄnde aus, die bei der ErwÄrmung unmittelbar über der Glasumwandlungstemperatur mit einem endothermen Vorgang relaxieren.

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Financial support of this work has been provided by CICYT (project No. PBO395/85). Special thanks are addressed to CIBA-GEIGY for supplying the materials.     

Effect of CTBN rubber inclusions on the curing kinetic of DGEBA-DGEBF epoxy resin

The curing kinetics of an epoxy resin matrix, based on diglycil ether of bisphenol A and F (DGEBA-DGEBF), associated with an anhydride hardener, at different carboxyl-terminated copolymer of butadiene and acrylonitrile liquid rubber (CTBN) concentration (0-10 phr) are studied using a differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and a stress-controlled rheometer in isothermal and dynamic conditions. The aim of this work is to correlate the presence of the rubber phase with the transition phenomena that occur during the curing process. The CTBN rubber induces a catalytic effect on the polymerization of the pure resin clearly observed by a significant enhancement of the curing rate. Calorimetric and rheological analysis also evidences that gelation and vitrification times take place not punctually but in a wide range of time. Rheological data show that the presence of rubbery phase induces a higher rate of gel formation during the early stages of the reactions, confirming the calorimetric results. Finally the results are compared with theoretical models evidencing a good fitting between experimental and predictive data.     

Thermal and photochemical ageing of epoxy resin - Influence of curing agents

The thermal and photochemical ageing of epoxy resin was studied using photoacoustic-FTIR spectroscopy. This technique was satisfactory for both unfilled resin and glass fibre filled epoxy composite. The influence of the curing agent (anhydride or amine) was significant for ageing. The durability of anhydride-epoxy system was the best for both thermal and photoageing.     

Reaction pathway of liquid crystalline epoxy resin/aromatic diamine curing system

The reaction pathway of a monotropic liquid crystalline epoxy resin (HQEP2) was studied using FT‐IR and DSC. The reaction mechanism was correlated with the amine to epoxy ratio, curing temperature and morphology of the curing system. Experimental results showed that the linearly growing molecules lead to a nematogen but branching intermediates induced an isotropic texture.     

Synthesis and curing of liquid crystalline epoxy resin based on naphthalene mesogen

Aromatic liquid crystalline epoxy resin (LCE) based on naphthalene mesogen was synthesized and cured with aromatic diamines to prepare heat‐resistant LCE networks. Diaminodiphenylester (DDE) and diaminodiphenylsulfone (DDS) were used as curing agents. The curing reaction and liquid crystalline phase of LCE were monitored, and mechanical and thermal properties of cured LCE network were also investigated. Curing and postcuring peaks were observed in dynamic DSC thermogram. LCE network cured with DDE displayed liquid crystalline phase in the curing temperature range between 183 and 260°C, while that cured with DDS formed one between 182 and 230°C. Glass transition temperature of cured LCE network was above 240°C, and crosslinked network was thermally stable up to 330°C. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 419–425, 1999