AbstractThe cure kinetics of epoxy–novolac compounds were studied by means of differential scanning calorimetry with a dynamic approach. On the basis of a modified version of our previously reported kinetic model, a procedure aiming at the phenomenological description of the cure kinetics was developed. The reactions were found to be autocatalytic in nature for both commercial epoxy–novolac molding compounds and silica‐free imidazole‐cured epoxy–novolac systems. The weak extent of autocatalysis in the epoxy–novolac molding compounds was likely due to their high content of silica fillers. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009