Determination of gel and vitrification times of thermoset curing process by means of TMA, DMTA and DSC techniques

In the present work, gelation and vitrification experimental data are obtained by TMA and DMTA techniques using the same thermoset based on an epoxy-amine system. The results show that the times obtained are not equivalent and depend on the technique used. An attempt has been made to compare both determinations using the degree of cure obtained by means of DSC technique. The principal conclusion that we want to emphasize is that it is the conversion degree and not the time of the phenomenological changes that take place during cure, that is the link to connect and interrelate the results obtained with different techniques. A method is also described for constructing the TTT diagram with only DSC and TMA or DMTA data.