Kinetics of epoxy-amine curing accompanied by the formation of liquid crystalline structure

The curing of a mesomorphic epoxy has been studied by polarized light microscopy (PLM) and differential scanning calorimetry. PLM in combination with wide-angle X-ray diffraction proves the formation of a liquid crystalline (LC) structure. An advanced isoconversional method reveals that the formation of the LC structure is accompanied by a dramatic decrease in the effective activation from similar to60 to similar to10 kJ . mol(-1). A kinetic model of the phenomenon has been discussed.