Volume 37, Issue 9 pp. 2661-2673
Article
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Cure kinetics of neat and graphite-fiber-reinforced epoxy formulations

Jovan Mijović

Corresponding Author

Jovan Mijović

Polytechnic University, Department of Chemical Engineering, 333 Jay Street, Brooklyn, New York 11201

Polytechnic University, Department of Chemical Engineering, 333 Jay Street, Brooklyn, New York 11201===Search for more papers by this author
H. T. Wang

H. T. Wang

Polytechnic University, Department of Chemical Engineering, 333 Jay Street, Brooklyn, New York 11201

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First published: 5 May 1989
Citations: 26

Abstract

An investigation was carried out into the cure kinetics of neat and graphite fiber-reinforced epoxy formulation, composed of tetraglycidyl 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl methane (TGDDM) resin and diaminodiphenyl sulfone (DDS) curing agent. Two experimental techniques were employed: isothermal differential scanning calorimetry (IDSC) and dynamic differential scanning calorimetry (DDSC). An autocatalytic mechanism with the overall reaction rate order of 2 was found to describe adequately the cure kinetics, of the neat resin and the composite. All kinetic parameters, including reaction rate constants, activation energies and preexponential factors, were calculated and reported. The presence of graphite fibers in the composite had only a very small initial effect on the kinetics of cure.

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