Evaluation of the curing reaction of epoxy resins by electrochemical measurement and molecular orbital method.

Epoxy resin is a thermosetting resin with excellent mechanical properties. It has been pointed out that there are problems on its mechanical properties due to poor polymerization of the epoxy ring caused by water and chlorine impurities during resin production. In this study, we focused on the electrochemical behavior during curing reaction of epoxy resin. To investigate the electrochemical reaction, galvanostat meter was used to measure the voltage behavior during chemical reaction. Molecular Orbital (MO) method was used to understand the mechanisms of voltage behavior during curing reaction. Furthermore, the effect of water existence during curing reaction was investigated by experimentally and analytically. As a result of experimental electrochemical reaction, we successfully measured the voltage behavior associated with the curing reaction. In the case of MO analysis, the epoxy and curing agent models were prepared. Before the reaction, each molecule had zero charge, but after the reaction, it was confirmed that the epoxy had a positive charged and the amine had a negative charged. It is thought that the voltage could be observed due to the movement of this charge during curing reaction. It has been also demonstrated through experimentation and analysis that water accelerates the curing reaction. It was observed that the accelerating effect amplifies as the quantity of water increases. Building upon these results, it was confirmed that the factor leading to the increase in voltage is due to the amount of water. To examine the presence of chlorine impurities during the production of epoxy resin, MO analysis was conducted on the production reaction of epoxy prepolymers. The findings indicated that as the water content increases, the reaction that results in the production of by-products is amplified. This outcome suggested that by-products were already incorporated during the formation of the epoxy. In conclusion, this study provides significant insights into the electrochemical behavior during the curing reaction of epoxy resin, the role of water in accelerating the reaction, and the impact of chlorine impurities during resin production. The findings pave the way for further research to optimize the production process and enhance the mechanical properties of epoxy resin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]