CURING REACTION OF DIGLYCIDYLESTERS CONTAINING ALICYCLIC IMIDE STRUCTURES WITH ANHYDRIDES AND AMINES AS HARDENERS

The cure reaction of diglycidyl esters containing bicyclo[2.2.2]oct-7-ene units with phthalic anhydride, hexahydrophthalic anhydride, bis(4-aminophenyl)methane, and bis(4-aminophenyl)ethane as hardeners was studied by differential scanning calorimetry. The use of 4-dimethylaminopyridine as a catalyst agent for the anhydride-epoxide reaction was also investigated. Depending on the curing agent, anhydride or amine, and the concentration of the catalyst, differences in activation energies were found, but negligible changes are observed between both anhydrides and the two primary amines. Thermal properties of the final product were unaltered by the hardener used. (C) 1995 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.