An investigation was carried out into the effect of a microwave cure o
n an epoxy prepolymer with a cycloaliphatic diamine mixture, as compar
ed to a standard thermal cure. The microwave waveguide and process (pr
opagation mode TE(01)) were adjusted to obtain large homogeneous sampl
es. The extent of reaction, x, was measured during the microwave proce
ssing by size exclusion chromatography and differential scanning calor
imetry. A good estimate of x was found using a modified DiBenedetto eq
uation correlating x and the glass transition temperature T-g. The hom
ogeneity of the samples was checked during the last steps of cure, sho
wing the efficiency of the microwave processing and waveguide. The inf
luence of the nature of the mold (metallic or dielectric) on the react
ion kinetic was also investigated. Samples cured by both thermal and m
icrowave processing were characterized by dynamic and static mechanica
l properties and then compared with those of fully crosslinked network
s, i.e., postcured at a high temperature.