Comparison of cure conditions for rigid rod epoxy and bisphenol A epoxy using thermomechanical analysis

Thermomechanical analysis was used to compare cure conditions of a bisphenol A epoxy resin composition and the same composition prepared with a rigid rod biphenol epoxy resin. The rigid rod system exhibited a lower curing rate and lower thermal expansion than did the bisphenol A system. The glass transition and thermal expansion of the rigid rod system can be varied by manipulation of the ratio of curing agent to epoxy. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 70: 2163–2167, 1998