Kinetic parameters of a cyanate ester resin catalyzed with different proportions of nonylphenol and cobalt acetylacetonate catalyst

The isothermal cure of a dicyanate ester monomer has been investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) in the presence of different quantities of a catalyst system formed by nonylphenol (NP) and cobalt (II) acetylacetonate (Co(AcAc)(2)). Two sets of experiences were studied. Firstly, the NP composition was varied from 0 to 10 per hundred resin (phr) and secondly, the Co(AcAC)(2) loadings were changed at 2 phr of NP. It has been observed that the cyanate conversion increases significantly after the first addition of the metal catalyst and, also, at the same time the thermal stability improves. Moreover, the kinetic data have been fitted with a second-order equation respect to the cyanate conversion in the kinetically conversion regime. Also, both the activation energies and the kinetic order respect to the NP and the Co(AcAc)(2) have been determined. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.