A study of cure kinetics by the use of dynamic differential scanning calorimetry

Mold filling and resin cure are essential elements of the manufacturing processes of thermosetting composites. The important parameters required in modeling and designing mold filling are the permeability of the fibrous preform and the viscosity of the resin. To consolidate a composite, resin cure or chemical reaction plays a crucial role. Cure kinetics, therefore, is necessary to quantify the extent of chemical reaction or degree of cure for the given cure cycle. It is also important to predict resin viscosity during mold filling, which may change due to chemical reaction. There exists a heat transfer between the mold and the composite during mold filling and resin cure. Heat released by the chemical reaction increases the temperature of the composite and it may cause a degradation of the composite. Cure kinetics is used to predict the temperature distribution inside the composite. In this study, a general procedure for the determination of cure kinetics of the resin was proposed by modeling dynamic scanning calorimetry data. The new method was applied to a three-component epoxy resin system and was verified by comparing measurements and predictions. The effect of accelerator concentration on chemical reaction was also studied.