USE OF INVERSE GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHY TO QUANTIFY INTERACTIONS IN AMINE CURED EPOXY-RESINS

Flory-Huggins interaction parameters, CHI, were determined for a serie s of probes in an amine cured epoxy resin matrix (433-493 K) and its p recursors (324-363 K) by inverse gas chromatography (IGC). Hildebrand- Scatchard theory was combined with Flory-Huggins theory in order to es timate infinite dilution solubility parameters (delta2) for the matrix and its precursors at 298 K. It was shown that the value of the solub ility parameter for the cured resin matrix lies between those of its p recursors. Compared to the majority of published work, an unusual aspe ct of this application of IGC is that solubility parameters have been determined when the stationary phases are (i) small molecules and (ii) a highly crosslinked polymer. Moreover, all possible attempts have be en made to ensure equilibrium conditions between probe and stationary phase, and compensation for asymmetry of peak profile has been applied in determining delta2. The solubility parameters estimated by IGC are in good agreement with those calculated by other methods.