Isothermic study of DGEBA-poly(acrylic acid-co-styrene) reticulation by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)

The cure kinetics of copolymer acid/epoxy systems have been studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) using isothermal runs. Many poly(acrylic acid-co-styrene) copolymers (SAA) were used, with different percentages of acid and polyacrylic acid (PAA) used as a hardening agent. The reaction is accelerated by a tertiary amine, triethyleneamine (TEA). The study was performed at different temperatures. The curing rate constant increases with the temperature at the maximum peak but the time decreases. A second picture is observed for the SAAS/DGEBA and SAA6/DGEBA. The PAA/DGEBA system has the lowest reactivity. The reaction is autocatalysed. Keenan's method allows us to determine the kinetic parameters (E-a, m, n, k, ln A)for each system studied. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.