KINETIC-PARAMETERS IN NONSTOICHIOMETRIC EPOXY-RESIN M-XYLYLENEDIAMINE REACTIONS

The curing reaction of bisphenol A epoxy resin has been widely studied. We have found that when initial reactants are highly pure the reaction epoxy resin/m-xylylenediamine follows a predominantly autocatalytic path independent of the temperature. The purpose of this study was to discern if the kinetic model is appliable at high values of amine/epoxy equivalent ratio. Because of the nature and reactivity of m-xylylenediamine (m-XDA), the studies were carried out at low temperatures. Also, in order to obtain information about the formation mechanism of the system, different parameters such as reaction orders, activation energies, and reaction rate variation with concentration have been studied at different (1.5 : 1, 2 : 1, and 3 : 1) amine/epoxy equivalent ratios.