Network formation studied by temperature scanning brillouin scattering and differential scanning calorimetry techniques. II.

The reaction of 1,4‐butanediol diglycidyl ether (EP) with cis‐1,2‐cyclohexanedicarboxylic anhydride (CH) and triethylamine (TEA) as an initiator was studied with temperature scanning Brillouin spectroscopy (TSBS) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The evolution of the reaction process (liquid–gel–solid) was investigated as a function of the epoxy molar fraction (x_EP), for sample compositions varying from an epoxy excess to an anhydride excess. The dependence of the final conversion factors αr_DSC and αr_TSBS and the kinetic parameters E_DSC and E_TSBS on x_EP is presented. A comparison of the experimental gelation point (Pgel) behavior and the expected theoretical one, described by the Flory theory, is also reported. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 39: 1326–1336, 2001