Chemorheology of an amine‐cured epoxy resin

Abstract

Abstract The objective of a chemoviscosity model of a thermosetting resin is to describe the change of viscosity for a temperature‐time program. A model is most advantageously developed by starting with a viscosity‐temperature relationship and then relating the parameters of this equation to the rate of polymerization. Thus, the chemoviscosity is related directly to the polymerization kinetics of the thermosetting resin and, thereby, to its chemical composition. Viscosity‐temperature relationships based on free‐volume theory such as the Williams‐Landel‐Ferry equation and the Vogel equation appear to fit the chemoviscosity of an amine‐cured epoxy resin more precisely than relation ships based on resin flow as an activated process.