Study of the Curing Reaction Rate of a Glass Fiber Reinforced Bisphenol-A (BPA) Epoxy Prepreg by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC)

The curing behavior of glass fiber reinforced epoxy prepregs based on Bisphenol-A (BPA) was studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The total heat of reaction(Delta H-total = 280.3 J/g) was determined based on the results of the dynamic heating scanning experiments. Isothermal experiments were carried out at 110 similar to 130 degrees C, and it was observed that the maximum conversion and the maximum reaction rate were increased as temperature increased. Also Kamal equation was applied to analyze autocatalytic reaction of epoxy prepregs. The higher temperatures, the greater reaction rate constants (k(1), k(2)). Theoretical values were calculated by these reaction rate constants and compared with experimental values. And it was confirmed that they were in reasonable agreement. At the beginning of the reaction, the experimental data and theoretical prediction were shown the same tendency, but at the end of reaction, the experimental data were smaller than theoretical predicted values due to reaction rates controlled by diffusion.