Comparison of microwave and thermal cure of epoxy resins

Stoichiometric mixtures of DGEBA (diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A)/DDS (diaminodiphenyl sulfone) and DGEBA/mPDA (meta phenylene diamine) have been isothermally cured by electromagnetic radiation and conventional heating using thin film sample configurations. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to measure the extent of cure. Thermal mechanical analysis (TMA) was used to determine the glass transition temperatures directly from the cured thin film samples. Well-defined glass transitions were observed in the TMA thermograph for both thermal and microwave cured samples. Significant increases in the reaction rates have been observed in the microwave cured DGEBA/DDS samples. Only slight increases in the reaction rates have been observed in the microwave cured DGEBA/mPDA samples. Higher glass transition temperatures were obtained in microwave cured samples compared to those of thermally cured ones after gelation. The magnitude of increases of glass transition temperature is much larger for the DGEBA/DDS system than DGEBA/mPDA system. The microwave radiation effect was much more significant in DGEBA/DDS system than in DGEBA/mPDA system. DiBenedetto's model was used to fit the experimental T_g data of both thermal and microwave cured epoxy resins.     

Kinetics modeling and time-temperature-transformation diagram of microwave and thermal cure of epoxy resins

Stoichimetric mixtures of a diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA)/ diaminodiphenyl sulfone (DDS) and a DGEBA/meta phenylene diamine (mPDA) were cured using both microwave and thermal energy. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) was used for the measurement of the extent of cure and thermal mechanical analysis (TMA) was used for the determination of the glass transition temperature (T_g). The cure kinetics of the DGEBA/mPDA and DGEBA/DDS systems were described by an autocatalytic kinetic model up to vitrification in both the microwave and thermal cure. For the DGEBA/mPDA system, the reaction rate constants of the primary amine-epoxy reaction are equal to those of the secondary amine-epoxy reaction, and the etherification reaction is negligible for both microwave and thermal cure. For the DGEBA/DDS system, the reaction rate constants of the primary amine-epoxy reaction are greater than those of the secondary amine-epoxy reaction and the etherification reaction is only negligible at low cure temperatures for both microwave and thermal cure. Microwave radiation decreases the reaction rate constant ratio of the secondary amine-epoxy reaction to the primary amine-epxy reaction and the ratio of the etherification reaction to the primary amine-epoxy reaction. T_g data were fitted to the DiBenedetto model. A master curve and a time-temperature-transformation (TTT) diagram were constructed. The vitrification time is shorter in microwave cure than in thermal cure, especially at higher isothermal cure temperatures. For the DGEBA/mPDA system, the minimum vitrification time is two to five times shorter in the microwave cure than in the thermal cure. For the DGEBA/DDS system, the minimum vitrification time is 44 times shorter in the microwave cure than in the thermal cure.     

Comparison of microwave and thermal cure of unsaturated polyester resin

Abstract

A commercial unsaturated polyester resin, Beetle R 8592 from BIP Chemical Limited has been cured using a microwave oven. Thermal curing was also carried out as a comparative study. The cured resins were compared using differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, dynamic mechanical analysis, scanning electron microscopy, solid state NMR spectroscopy, and flexural properties. The DSC analysis showed that microwave curing was much faster than thermal curing. However, within the limits of experimental error, it was found that the shear modulus, the number average molecular weight M _c, flexural modulus and strength were not significantly different. Solid state NMR also showed similar spectra for both microwave and thermal cured samples, which suggests that the same curing reactions took place in each case.     

Dielectric analysis of the cure of thermosetting epoxy/amine systems

A low molecular weight epoxy resin is cured isothermally with an aromatic amine hardener, and the dielectric properties are measured as a function of the frequency, reaction time, and cure temperature. At specific stages in the cure, small samples from the reacting mixture are quenched and subsequently analyzed for the glass transition temperature and epoxy group conversion by differential scanning calorimetry. In this manner, the change In dielectric properties can be directly correlated with the network structure. The ionic conductivity is modeled as a function of the cure temperature and the cure-dependent glass transition temperature using a Williams-Landel-Ferry (WLF) relation. Combining this WLF relation with the DiBenedetto equation, a comprehensive model relating conductivity with the extent of reaction and cure temperature has been developed.     

Dielectric analysis of epoxy/amine resins using microwave cavity technique

Dielectric properties (permittivity and dielectric loss factor) of stoichiometric mixtures of DGEBA (diglycidylether of bisphenol A) epoxy (DER 332) and amine (diaminodiphenyl sulfone; DDS) as a function of temperature and extent of cure have been measured at a microwave frequency of 2.45 GHz. Permittivity and dielectric loss factor of this resin increase with increasing temperature and decrease with increasing extent of cure. Dielectric loss factor is more dependent on temperature in the early stages of cure but becomes less dependent on temperature as the cure proceeds. Dielectric loss data can be related to extent of cure in order to monitor the cure process. Online measurements of temperature- and cure-dependent dielectric loss factor show three material structure stages and significant changes in dielectric loss factor during the microwave cure process. Dielectric Joss factor is also found to be the same for both thermal and microwave cured samples.     

Toughening of a trifunctional epoxy system. II. Thermal characterization of epoxy/amine cure

The cure of a trifunctional epoxy resin with an amine coreactant was studied using two thermal analysis techniques: differential scanning claorimetry (DSC) and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA). These techniques were used to monitor the development of both the thermal and mechanical properties with cure. Detailed kinetic analysis was performed using a variety of kinetic models: nth order, autocatalytic, and diffusion-controlled. The reaction was found to be autocatalytic in nature during the early stages of cure while becoming diffusion-controlled once vitrification had taken place. By combining the results obtained from DSC and DMTA, the degree of conversion, at which key events such as gelation and vitrification take place, were determined. A TTT diagram was constructed for this epoxy/amine system showing the final properties that can be achieved with the appropriate cure history. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Calorimetric and microwave dielectric monitoring of epoxy resin cure

The cure process of a BADGE (diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A) resin (Epon 828) and ethylenediamine has been investigated by means of calorimetry and dielectrometry in the microwave region (10⁷–10¹⁰ Hz) in the temperature range 50 to 70°C. Kinetic data from calorimetry were analyzed in detail. An overall kinetic order of 2.5 has been obtained. The time domain reflectometry (TDR) has been used to characterize pure components and their mixtures. Cure monitoring was carried out with both TDR and a cavity method at fixed frequency (9.5 × 10⁹ Hz). A very good agreement was obtained between the reaction rate as measured by calorimetry and the rate of decrease of dielectric constants up to very high conversion. This was explained by admitting that the rates of disappearance of dielectric dipoles and of reactive species coincided.     

Model compound studies on the amine cure of epoxy resins

Monoepoxy phenyl glycidyl ether, curing agent p-chloroaniline, and the substituted urea type accelerator Monuron were used as a model system for studying the amine cure of epoxies. Reactions were carried out at 120°C with amine to epoxy equivalent rations of 0.25 and 1.0 Reaction mixtures were analyzed primarily by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography. Three types of reactions occur; simple amine addition to epoxy, homopolymerization of epoxy, and epoxy polymerization involving the addition products. In the absence of accelerator the reaction involved simple addition. With the accelerator, there was competition between addition and polymerization, the balance depending on the amine to epoxy equivalent ratio. Both addition and polymerization were important for a ratio of 1, but polymerization far outweighed addition for a ratio of 0.25.     

Effect of cure temperature on the structure and water absorption of epoxy/amine thermosets

Dielectric and rheological measurements are reported on the effect of cure temperature on the water absorption of tris[(2,3-epoxypropoxy)phenyl] methane cured with a 1 : 1 stoichiometric ratio of 4,4′-diaminodiphenylsulphone. Analysis of the water absorption characteristics of these materials using a combination of dielectric and gravimetric measurements has indicated that water molecules can be found in two distinctly different types of environments. There are water molecules which are strongly interacting with polar groups and water molecules clustered together into sub-micro-scale cavities within the matrix structure. Changes in the final cure temperature have the effect of changing both the extent and distribution of the types of water molecules present in the matrix. Validation of the diffusion coefficients obtained from the dielectric analysis is based on a comparison with gravimetric data and the implications are discussed. Differences observed between these two different types of measurement are related to peculiarity in the dielectric method and its extreme sensitivity to interfacial phenomena.     

Effect of an epoxy octasilsesquioxane on the thermodegradation of an epoxy/amine system

Polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS^®) can be added to thermoplastic and thermostable polymers to obtain hybrid materials with only a minor tendency to suffer ignition. The aim of the work reported was to analyse the influence of an octafunctional POSS^® in the pyrolysis of an epoxy/amine system as well as during the combustion process. Thermal degradation of the modified materials, with respect to the unmodified ones, was analysed using thermogravimetric analysis. As the content of POSS^® increased the stability improved and the char/ceramic yields were higher. The Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose method was applied to the modified blends and it showed a decrease in the activation energy with POSS^® content. Empirical kinetic models, as well as generalized master plots, were applied to explain the degradation mechanism for ternary blends. The limiting oxygen index parameter was measured to analyse the fire retardancy effect of POSS^®: it increased from 24.3 to 25.4% with the addition of 2.5 wt% of POSS^®. The mechanism of thermal degradation of the hybrid materials based on an epoxy resin is affected by the presence of the octaepoxy POSS^®. Only small amounts of POSS^® are necessary to enhance the combustion resistance of the system. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

Etherification versus amine addition during epoxy resin/amine cure: An in situ study using near-infrared spectroscopy

The reactions between a multifunctional epoxy resin, tetraglycidyl 4,4′-diaminodiphenylmethane (TGDDM) and a monofunctional amine, methylaniline (mAnil) are studied. Due to the existence of a tertiary amine catalytic center within the TGDDM molecule, the etherification reaction during cure of TGDDM is usually more significant than in other epoxide systems. The importance of this reaction relative to the amine addition reactions is investigated. In situ near-infrared spectroscopy is used to obtain kinetic data during the cure reactions. The reaction rate constants are calculated from linear regression analysis for both amine addition and etherification reactions based on the reaction mechanisms proposed. Arrhenius relationships are observed for all the reaction rate constants involved. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 67:895–901, 1998     

环氧树脂和环氧/环硫树脂与胺的固化反应动力学

采用非等温DSC法对低黏度体系CY184/IPDA环氧树脂体系及对CY184/ES184/IPDA环氧/环硫树脂体系的固化反应动力学进行了研究。用高级等转化率Vyazovkin积分法求取活化能E_a,通过Málek法确定了固化反应机理函数和动力学参数,得到固化反应动力学方程。结果表明:CY184/IPDA环氧树脂体系的平均活化能为47.04 kJ·mol^-1;CY184/ES184/IPDA环氧/环硫树脂体系的活化能为48.97 kJ·mol^-1。两种体系的模型拟合曲线与实验得到的DSC曲线吻合得较好,均符合esták-Berggren(m,n)模型。     

Torsional braid analysis of the aromatic amine cure of epoxy resins

The cure behavior of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) type of epoxy resins with three aromatic diamines, 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl methane (DDM), 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl sulfone (44DDS), and 3,3′-diaminodiphenyl sulfone (33DDS) was studied by torsional braid analysis. For each curing agent the stoichiometry of the resin mixtures was varied from a two to one excess of amino hydrogens per epoxy group to a two to one excess of epoxy groups per amino hydrogen. Isothermal cures of the resin mixtures were carried out from 70 to 210°C (range depending on epoxy—amine mixture), followed by a temperature scan to determine the glass transition temperature (T_g). The times to the isothermal liquid-to-rubber transition were shortest for the DDM mixtures and longest for the 44DDS mixtures. The liquid-to-rubber transition times were also shortest for the amine excess mixtures when stoichiometry was varied. A relatively rapid reaction to the liquid-to-rubber transition was observed for the epoxy excess mixtures, followed by an exceedingly slow reaction process at cure temperatures well above the T_g. This slow process was only observed for epoxy excess mixtures and eventually led to significant increases in T_g. Using time—temperature shifts of the glass transition temperature vs. logarithm of time, activation energies approximately 50% higher were derived for this process compared to those derived from the liquid-to-rubber transition. The rate of this reaction was virtually independent of curing agent and was attributed to etherification taking place in the epoxy excess mixtures. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Continuous heating transformation (CHT) cure diagram of an aromatic amine/epoxy system at constant heating rates

The overall reaction kinetics of a high-T_g tetrafunctional aromatic diamine/difunctional epoxy system (maximum glass transition temperature, T_g∞ = 182°C), which can satisfactorily describe the rate of the reaction in both kinetically and diffusion-controlled regimes, had been determined earlier from isothermal conversion/T_g data by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The mathematical expression of the kinetics, together with the unique one-to-one relationship between T_g and chemical conversion, is used to calculate the material's T_g vs. time under heating at constant rates. For a heating scan from below T_g0 (the glass transition temperature of the unreacted material), initial devitrification corresponds to the reaction temperature (T_cure) first passing through the T_g of the reacting material; vitrification corresponds to T_g becoming equal to the increasing T_cure after initial devitrification; and finally, upper devitrification corresponds to T_g eventually falling below the rising T_cure. The results of the calculation correlate well with the available experimental data of the dynamic mechanical behavior of the material during temperature scans at constant rates that were obtained by the torsional braid analysis (TBA) technique. T_g is calculated to remain slightly higher than T_cure after vitrification due to the influence of diffusion control, the difference being greater for lower heating rates. The limiting heating rate with no initial devitrification and that with no vitrification are also calculated.     

Correlation analysis of epoxy/amine resin cure,structure and chemorheological behavior in RTM processes

At the reactive mould‐filling stage in resin transfer moulding (RTM) processes, the correlation analysis of epoxy/amine resin cure, structure and chemorheological behavior plays a key role in the optimum control of RTM processes. A new methodology used to simulate the reactive resin flow in RTM processes with edge effect is presented in this article. The recursive approach and the branching theory are used to describe the evolution of molecular structure and resin viscosity, respectively. And then the resin flow process is simulated by means of a semi‐implicit iterative calculation method and the finite volume method. The results reveal the proposed resin cure‐structure‐viscosity model provides excellent agreement with the experimental viscosity data during the RTM filling process. It is also observed that the curing reaction causes the inhomogeneous distribution of resin conversion and resin molecular weight in the mould cavity, which will result in the spatially structural and performance inhomogeneities in the finished products. With the injection temperature or the edge width increasing, the discrepancy of resin conversion and resin molecular weight in the mould cavity is more evident. This study is helpful for understanding the complicated relationship among the processing variables, resin structures, and properties. POLYM. COMPOS., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Effects of variation in composition and temperature on the amine cure of an epoxy resin model system

Prior liquid chromatographic studies have shown that the reactions in epoxy resin model system phenyl glycidyl ether, p-chloroaniline, and Monuron include amine addition to epoxy, homopolymerization of the epoxy, and a chain-transfer reaction involving the hydroxy groups of the addition products. The present work examines the effect of variation in concentration of the accelerator Monuron, the amine-to-epoxy ratio, and the temperature on the competitive reaction mechanisms. The fraction of phenyl glycidyl ether reacting by homopolymerization increases with accelerator concentration and decreases with increasing amine-to-epoxy ratio and increasing temperature. The estimated contribution from chain transfer is much smaller and appears to parallel the homopolymerization reaction, as might be expected.     

Dielectric studies of the cure of epoxy matrix systems

Dielectric spectroscopy was used to monitor the curing process of two epoxy resin systems. The basic system (system I) consisted of DGEBA (a difunctional epoxy) and a polyamide in a 50–phr mixture. In addition, a comparative analysis was performed on a high–performance resin system (system II) used primarily in unidirectional composite applications. This system contained TGDDM (a tetrafunctional epoxy) and DDS (a tetrafunctional amine) in a 25–phr mixture. The dielectric data were obtained using a simple yet functional sample cell electrode designed and constructed in the laboratory. For system I, isothermal dielectric data were used to determine apparent activation energies for the temperature range from 22 to 70°C. The data showed that the activation energy was a function of temperature and increased as the temperature of the cure increased. This indicated that the reaction mechanism was also a function of temperature. For system II, data were collected between 140 and 190°C and an overall activation energy for that temperature range was determined. The overall activation energies for both systems, calculated using dielectric spectroscopy, compared favorably to those obtained using differential scanning calorimetry. Also, using a wider frequency range (240 Hz to 2 MHz), Argand diagrams were constructed and modeled with the Cole–Cole empirical equation for systems with a distribution of relaxation times. This justified the calculation of average relaxation times, which could then be related to the bulk physical properties of the polymer, such as viscosity. Modified Argand diagrams, where ε″ is plotted against ε′ at one frequency as a function of time, were also constructed, which aided in the understanding of the curing processes for these thermosetting systems.     

Dielectric studies of three epoxy resin systems during microwave cure

Dielectric properties of three curing epoxy resin systems at an industrial microwave frequency, 2.45 GHz, were measured over a temperature range lower than the cure temperature. Extent of cure, which is determined by DSC, is used to describe the progress of the polymerization. It has been found that, normally, the real and the imaginary part of the complex dielectric constant increased with temperature and decreased during microwave cure. The changes of the dielectric properties during the reaction are related to the decreasing number of the dipolar groups in the reactants and the increasing viscosity. The Davidson-Cole model can be used to describe the experimental data. The Zong model is applicable to polymeric materials at high microwave frequencies and can be used to calculate the parameters of the Davidson-Cole model. The epoxy resins exhibit one γ relaxation, which can be described by the Arrhenius rate law. The evolutions of the parameters in the models are discussed.     

Fiberoptic intrinsic fluorescence for in-situ cure monitoring of amine cured epoxy and composites

The cure reactions of epoxy-diamine and its composites are monitored in-situ using the intrinsic fluorescence of the aromatic diamine, diaminodiphenyl sulfone (DDS). With a fiberoptic fluorimeter, in-situ cure monitoring was performed via a single fiber, distal-end probe, in neat epoxy as well as in commercial grade prepregs containing graphite fibers and DDS curing agent. The prepregs were investigated during multiply lamination in an oven. The fluorescence excitation spectra were obtained by emitting at 420 nm with a scan range of 320 to 400 nm, and the DDS peak position was determined as a function of cure time and temperature. The DDS spectra show a progressive red shift up to 24 nm when the primary amine is reacted with epoxide to become the secondary and the tertiary amines. The spectral shift of the DDS is also correlated with the extent of epoxide reaction determined by the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Both data exhibit a linear relation, consistent with the behavior of the DDS peak shift, which increases linearly with the amine reaction. The excitation spectra also show a temperature dependency such that the amount of red shift increases with the measurement temperature in a manner that can be described by an exponential function. The temperature effects also depend on the state of cure in the sample. The temperature correction can be made by the application of an empirically developed equation. Thus, a direct comparison can be made among the on-line data obtained under varying conditions of cure, by reducing the spectral data to any reference temperature. This intrinsic fluorescence technique is much simpler than the previously reported extrinsic fluorophore technique, which requires the addition of an extrinsic fluorophore and an internal dye, and can be applied to any commercial prepregs containing DDS, thus making it a very powerful and widely applicable monitoring tool for composite processing.