Polymer blends based on an epoxy-amine thermoset and a thermoplastic

The effect of thermoplastic modification of an epoxy-amine system on the cure reaction, miscibility and thermal stability of the system was investigated. The cure kinetics showed an autocatalytic behavior. Modifier did not affect either the total reaction heat or the achieved maximum conversion but delayed the kinetics. The model of Horie-Kamal corrected by diffusion factor was used to adjust kinetics in the whole range of conversions. The modified systems showed two glass transitions indicating two separated phases, whose compositions were estimated using the Fox and Couchman equations. Modifier did not affect the thermal and thermooxidative stability of the system.