Formation, structure, and elasticity of loosely crosslinked epoxy‐amine networks. I. Statistics of formation

Abstract

AbstractUsing the theory of branching processes based on cascade substitution, relations are derived for structural parameters characterizing network formation from diepoxide, monoepoxide, and diamine for various initial compositions. The different reactivities of the hydrogen atoms of the primary and secondary amino groups (the latter being formed in the reaction) and possibly different reactivities of epoxy groups in diepoxide and monoepoxide are taken into account. Relations are derived for the critical conversion at the gel point and for changes as a function of conversion in the average molecular weight in the pregel stage, changes in the sol and gel contents, effective functionality of the crosslinks, and concentration of elastically active network chains. The derivation includes the trapping factor that appears in the theory of permanent interchain interactions (trapped entanglements) of the Langley type. An analysis of the approximation usually employed in the statistical theory based on network formation from dyads of structural units shows that this approach is quite satisfactory for small differences in the reactivities of epoxy groups in diepoxide and monoepoxide.