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Evaluating a four-directional benzene-centered aliphatic polyamine curing agent for epoxy resins

Isothermal curing behavior and dynamic mechanical property

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Abstract

A four-directional benzene-centered aliphatic polyamine, MXBDP, with high functionality and low volatility, is used to cure epoxy resin (DGEBA). Herein we originally report the isothermal cure kinetics and dynamic mechanical properties of DGEBA/MXBDP. Differential scanning calorimetry confirms that MXDBP is more reactive than commercial linear metaxylenediamine and branched Jeffamine T-403 and the isothermal curing reaction is autocatalytic. The Kamal model is found to be able to well describe the curing rate up to the onset of diffusion control, and the excellent match over the whole conversion range is achieved using the extended Kamal model. Interestingly, the isoconversional kinetic analysis indicates that the effective reaction activation energy (E α ) changes substantially with conversion, and ultimately decreases to a very small value (<10 kJ mol−1) because of the diffusion-controlled reaction kinetics. Then, dynamic mechanical analysis reveals that DGEBA/MXBDP exhibits the higher α- and β-relaxation temperatures and the much higher crosslink density than DGEBA/metaxylenediamine. Our experiment results support that MXBDP has the high reactivity and improved thermal resistance in combination with the advantages of the high functionality, low volatility and decreased CO2 absorption. Therefore, MXBDP may be especially suitable for room temperature-cure epoxy coatings and adhesives.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Postdoctoral Foundation of Zhejiang Province, China (Grant No. Bsh1201004), the Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University, China (PCSIRT) and the Major Research Project of Zhejiang Province, China (Grant No. 2006C11192). The authors would like to appreciate the reviewers for commenting on this article and providing the comments of great value.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China

    Jintao Wan, Cheng Li, Zhi-Yang Bu, Hong Fan & Bo-Geng Li

  2. Zhejiang Jiamin Plastics Company Ltd., Jiaxing, 314027, China

    Jintao Wan

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  1. Jintao Wan
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Correspondence to Hong Fan or Bo-Geng Li.

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Wan, J., Li, C., Bu, ZY. et al. Evaluating a four-directional benzene-centered aliphatic polyamine curing agent for epoxy resins. J Therm Anal Calorim 114, 365–375 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-012-2863-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-012-2863-8

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