Curing of polymer matrix composites fluorescence study of dansyl fluorophore labeled to glass fibers and DGEBA-ethylenediamine epoxy resin

Curing process of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A/ethylenediamine mixture in the presence of glass fibers was monitored by fluorescence in two ways: first, using dansyl labeled glass fibers and diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA)/ethylenediamine mixture and second, using unlabeled glass fibers and DGBA-dansyl labeled/ethylenediamine mixture. Integral fluorescence intensity was analyzed as a function of time. Results allow comparison between the curing process inside the bulk of the resin and at the glass fiber interface. It was concluded that for the system DGEBA/ethylenediamine the polymer matrix viscosity increases with the curing time faster inside the bulk than at the glass fiber interface. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.