The effects of glass beads and silane treatments on the curing behavior of a brominated epoxy resin: DSC analyses

Abstract

The curing characteristics of a brominated epoxy resin/dicyandiamide (DICY) system filled with silane-treated glass beads are studied using isothermal differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Three different silane coupling agents, N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyl-trimethoxysilane, N-[2-(vinylbenzylamino)-ethyl]-3-aminopropyl-trimethoxysilane, and 3-glycidoxypropyl-trimethoxysilane, are applied. It is found that the reaction heats of the epoxy system are little affected by the curing temperature and the untreated glass fillers, but changed with the addition of silane-coated glass beads. The effect of glass beads on the curing reaction is more significant at the low curing temperature and conversion. The silane treatment results in changes in Tg, activation energy, reaction heat, reaction rate, and reaction order. Three silanes respond differently because of their differences in the activated reaction with the matrix system. Regardless of the various curing mechanisms involved, a simple kinetic expression can describe the curing extent at 170 and 180°C with a good accuracy for all systems studied. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35: 2063–2071, 1997