INFLUENCE OF THE STRUCTURE ON THERMOSET CURE KINETICS

The influence of molecular structure on cure kinetics was studied using a new approach for characterizing the cure kinetics of thermosets in the glass transition region. Reactions in or near the glassy state are controlled by chain mobility, where the whole structural unit undergoes small-angle oscillation motions around the network link. All structural features affecting the mobility such as stiffness, bulky structures, substitution, symmetry effects, and functionality lead to high segment activation energies and slow final curing. The influence of the segment activation energy on the kinetic curves is also discussed.