Kinetic response of an epoxy thermosetting system observed by TMDSC

The response of a chemical reaction to temperature modulation has been exam ined experimentally in an epoxy thermosetting system. The kinetic response appears in the imaginary part of the complex heat capacity determined by TM DSC. From the imaginary part and the 'non-reversing' heat flow of reaction, the activation energy has been determined. The value of the activation ene rgy obtained is in good agreement with the value determined from Kissinger' s plot utilizing the peak temperatures of the exothermic reaction with diff erent heating rates.