Cure kinetics of epoxy/MWCNTs nanocomposites: Nonisothermal calorimetric and rheokinetic techniques

Nonisothermal calorimetric and isothermal rheokinetic analyses were used to study cure kinetics of epoxy/anhydride systems containing very low concentration of pristine and amine‐functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Isoconversional methods were applied in calorimetric modeling of cure kinetics. E α vs. α dependency and autocatalytic nature of curing were identified for both types of nanocomposites by isoconversional models. Fall in E α value from 90 to 82.5 kJ mol −1 thanks to amine functionalization (with E α of blank epoxy/anhydride of 80.3 kJ mol −1 ) was indicative of high potential of nanocomposites to cure at low concentration of functionalized MWCNTs (0.1 g with respect to 100 g of resin). Times of gelation and vitrification of epoxy were measured using storage and loss modulus data provided by isothermal rheokinetic analysis, showing a drop upon attachment of amine groups to MWCNTs. In complete agreement with nonisothermal calorimetric studies, variation of storage and loss modulus of nanocomposites confirmed hindered/accelerated cure devoted to pristine/amine‐functionalized MWCNTs. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134 , 45221.