An urethane-acrylic resin for a pultrusion processing application was studi
ed. The concentration of Perkadox 16 and methyl methacrylate (MMA) was chan
ged in the formulation mixture. A calorimetric study was performed in a DSC
equipment. Isothermal runs from 42 to 60 degrees C were performed to obtai
n a kinetic model for the polymerization reaction. Conversion of vitrificat
ion as a function of temperature was determined and the total heat of react
ion as a function of MMA. content was also measured. A general kinetic mode
l was applied. An autocatalytic model and master-curve approach with an ord
er of reaction of it + m = 2 and an activation energy of 95.9 kJ/mol were f
ound. By the application of the Kissinger model for dynamic runs, an activa
tion energy of 88.8 kJ/mol was obtained. (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.