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Application of the kinetic composite methodology to autocatalytic‐type thermoset prepreg cures
Author(s) -
Nam JaeDo,
Seferis James C.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.1993.070500909
Subject(s) - thermosetting polymer , autocatalysis , isothermal process , epoxy , differential scanning calorimetry , materials science , composite number , kinetics , thermodynamics , order of reaction , kinetic energy , polymer , composite material , reaction rate constant , polymer chemistry , physics , quantum mechanics
Using a commercial epoxy/carbon fiber prepreg as a model system, cure kinetics of an autocatalytic‐type reaction were analyzed by a general form of conversion‐dependent function first proposed for degradation kinetics of polymers and composites. The characteristic feature of conversion‐dependent function was determined using a reduced‐plot method where the temperature‐dependent reaction rate constant was analytically separated from the isothermal data. Assuming two elementary reaction mechanisms that were expressed by the n th order and autocatalytic kinetic models, they were combined with a composite methodology capable of predicting overall kinetic behavior. The activation energies were determined and favorably compared for both isothermal and dynamic‐heating differential scanning calorimetry experiments in the temperature region for standard epoxy cures at 177°C (350°F). Finally, the proposed model equation demonstrated excellent predictive capability and broad applicability in describing various types of thermoset polymer cure for both isothermal and dynamic heating conditions. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.