Effect of diffusion control in the glass transition region on critical conversion at the gel point during curing of epoxy resins

Abstract

An investigation into curing of Bisphenol A diglycidyl ether with an amine curing agent was carried out both above and below the glass transition temperature, T g , of the reacting system. At T g curing was still partly controlled by chemical kinetics. The critical gel point conversion was the same, irrespective of whether curing occurred above or below T g . Such independence indicated that all reaction steps were retarded to the same degree when viscosity increased.