(CONICET), J. B. Justo 4302, (7600) Mar del Plata, Argentina
SYNOPSISReactions taking place in a system consisting of a diepoxide (DGEBA, diglycidylether of bisphenol A) and a diisocyanate (TDI 80 : 20, toluene diisocyanate), catalyzed by a tertiary amine (BDMA, benzyldimethylamine), were followed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and chemical titration of isocyanate groups in the pre-gel stage. It was found that the main reactions took place in series, in steps of increasing temperature: (i) isocyanurate formation, (ii) epoxy-isocyanate reaction leading to oxazolidone rings, and (iii) isocyanurate decomposition by epoxy groups producing oxazolidone rings. Isocyanurate rings were stable in the presence of epoxides and a n isocyanate excess [reaction (ii) was faster than (iii)]. Epoxy homopolymerization (secondary reaction) occurred in parallel with steps (ii) and (iii).Step (i) took place by two different mechanisms and led to a maximum conversion, possibly limited by topological restrictions. A kinetic study of TDI trimerization in the presence of an equimolar amount of DGEBA and variable amounts of BDMA led to a third-order regression with an activation energy E = 43 kJ/mol. 0 1995