| Abstract: | Quaternary phosphonium compounds have been found to be extremely effective latent accelerators for anhydride-cured bisphenol A epoxy resins; at concentrations from 0.01% to 0.25%, fast gel times are found in the temperature range of 135°–200°C combined with very good storage properties at ambient temperatures. Using these materials as accelerators, it is possible to formulate long-life, one-component epoxy resins. From gel time data, Arrhenius plots were made for some of these phosphonium compounds, and results indicate low activation energy values of the order of 16.1 kcal/mole. Reaction mechanisms are proposed to explain the effectiveness of these phosphonium compounds as latent accelerators. The initiation mechanism probably involves the formation of hydrogen-bonded phosphonium–epoxy or phosphonium–anhydride complexes which rearrange on the application of heat to form activated species resulting in polymerization of the epoxy–anhydride components. The transfer of a proton from the phosphonium complex(es) to other epoxy or anhydride molecules would appear to be the rate-determining step in this initiation mechanism. Comparison of other well-known accelerators used for the anhydride cure of bisphenol A epoxy resins shows quaternary phosphonium compounds to be among the most effective accelerators disclosed to date. |
