REORIENTATIONAL DYNAMICS AND INTERMOLECULAR COOPERATIVITY IN REACTIVEPOLYMERS .2. MULTIFUNCTIONAL EPOXY-AMINE SYSTEMS

An examination was carried out of the reorientational dynamics of dipo les during the network formation in multifunctional epoxy-amine system s. Experimental results were generated by simultaneous dielectric and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) measurements. The observed changes i n reorientational dynamics during the advancement of reactions were ut ilized to (1) describe the origin of the a relaxation during the netwo rk formation, (2) propose a methodology for the evaluation of the kine tics of network formation, and (3) advance an interpretation of networ k dynamics in terms of intermolecular cooperativity based on the inter play between molecular and dielectric architecture. Fragility or coope rativity plots proved most informative in relating intermolecular coop erativity to the molecular characteristics of the growing network.