Determination of kinetics parameters to cure reaction of polymeric resins using empirical and mecanicists models

Abstract

Currently, the development of new materials are closely related to the various possible combinations of their properties. These materials, particularly polymeric composites, have high mechanical strength, low weight and low thermal expansion coefficient. As these materials have several applications in the composite industry, they require an extensive knowledge about their processing stages. In this manner, new composites will be produced to fulfill increasingly stringent requirements in each new particular situation. Then, the objective of this work consists in the estimation of kinetic parameters from mathematical models (empirical and mechanistic) to the curing reaction of polymer resin diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA), with crosslinking agent the m-Phenylenediamine (m-PDA). In order to do this, the system of differential equation, describing the kinetic models, were solved and adjusted to the experimental data. By including algebraic constraints, the differential-algebraic model is solved by DASSL using the program package EAD_CINETICA. The activation energy along with other kinetic parameters were determined through the solution of the mathematical model. The values of activation energy found for the models are in the range 55-80 kJ∙mol-1. Results obtained by applying the methods and adjusting the data by the program are in good agreement with the literature.