Simultaneous kinetic and microdielectric studies of some epoxy–amine systems

Three reactive epoxy–amine systems based on diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) with 4,4′-diaminodiphenylsulfone (DDS), 4,4′-methylenebis [3-chloro 2,6-diethylaniline] (MCDEA), and 4,4′-methylenebis [2,6-diethylaniline] (MDEA), were studied during isothermal curings at 140 and 160°C. The simultaneous kinetic and dielectric studies allow to express conductivity, σ, in terms of conversion, x, and of glass transition temperature, T_g. The conductivity, σ₀, of the initial monomer mixture and, σ_∞ of the fully cured network are measured. It is found that:

• The glass transition temperature, T_g, versus conversion, x, curves follows the equation of Di Benedetto modified by Pascault and Williams
• There exists a linear relation between log σ/log σ₀ and T_g.

So, it is possible to predict both kinetic and dielectric behaviors of these epoxy-amine systems by the knowledge of T_g0, ΔC_p0, and σ₀, respectively, glass transition temperature, heat capacity, and conductivity of initial monomer mixture, T_g∞ and ΔC_p∞, and σ_∞, respectively, glass transition temperature and heat capacity and conductivity of fully cured network. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 36: 2911–2921, 1998