Rheokinetics of the polymerization of an epoxy resin with aliphatic amines

Abstract

A rheological study of the curing of epoxy resins with aliphatic amines is presented. Kinetic parameters were evaluated using isothermal gel times as a function of temperature. The values obtained for the activation energies of the three systems (12-13 kcal/mol) agree with the values reported by other authors. Experimental evidence suggests that vitrification is reached when the elastic modulus of the sample reaches certain value; regardless of amine functionality and temperature. The gel times showed two critical value r values. Samples with r smaller than the minimum critical value or values of r greater than the maximum critical value will never gel.