Effects of graphene oxide and chemically reduced graphene oxide on the curing kinetics of epoxy amine composites

The curing kinetics of epoxy nanocomposites prepared by incorporating graphene oxide (GO) and chemically reduced graphene oxide (rGO) have been studied using isothermal and nonisothermal differential scanning calorimetry. The kinetic parameters of the curing processes in these systems have been determined by a Kamal and Sourour phenomenological model expanded by a diffusion factor. The predicted curves determined using the kinetic parameters fit well with the isothermal DSC thermograms revealing the proposed kinetic equation clearly explains the curing kinetics of the prepared epoxy amine nanocomposites. Experimental and modeling results demonstrate the presence of an accelerating effect of the GO on the cure of the resin matrix. The use of rGO instead of GO resulted in a slight acceleration reaction rate due to the reduced presence of oxidation groups in rGO. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 44803.