Nonisothermal reaction kinetics of DGEBA with four-armed starlike polyamine with benzene core (MXBDP) as novel curing agent

• Published in: Thermochimica acta 2010-10, Vol.510 (1), p.46-52
• Main Authors: Wan, Jintao, Li, Bo-Geng, Fan, Hong, Bu, Zhi-Yang, Xu, Cun-Jin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Advanced isoconversional method; Applied sciences; Asymptotic properties; Benzene; Chemical properties; Conversion; Curing agents; Differential scanning calorimetry; Epoxy resin; Exact sciences and technology; Mathematical models; Málek method; Nonisothermal reaction kinetics; Polyamine; Polyamines; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Properties and testing; Reaction kinetics; Technology of polymers; Šesták–Berggren model
• ISSN: 0040-6031; 1872-762X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tca.2010.06.021

A four-armed starlike polyamine with a benzene nucleus (MXBDP) was prepared, characterized, and employed as the novel curing agent for epoxy resin of bisphenol A (DGEBA). Nonisothermal reaction kinetics of DGEBA/MXBDP was systematically investigated using a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) in terms of a model-fitting Málek approach and a model-free advanced isoconversional method of Vyazovkin (AICM). A two-parameter autocatalytic model of Šesták–Berggren (SB( m, n) model) was substantiated to be able to well describe the nonisothermal reaction rate of DGEBA/MXBDP. In addition, the correlation between effective activation energy E α upon fractional conversion α was determined with the AICM. The result showed E α dropped quickly at the initial stage of the reaction up to α ≈ 10%, then showed a relative constant value of ≈57 kJ/mol for α ≈ 10–35%, and finally decreased again from ≈57 to ≈45 kJ/mol until the completion, which implicates quite complex mechanisms of the reaction.