The study on phase separation development by curing reaction rate for unsaturated polyester/polyvinylacetate semi-IPN

Morphological changes of unsaturated polyester/polyvinylacetate semi-IPN were studied while the phase separation and the cure reaction occurred in a competing fashion. The light scattering and thermal analysis techniques were used to investigate the phase separation rates and mechanical properties resultantly induced by molecular diffusion of thermoplastic polymer during the curing process of thermosetting polymer. The reaction activation energy was calculated by using Flynn-Wall method and the semi-IPN structure exhibited various phase-separation morphological characteristics. When PVAc composition was 10 wt%, the phase separation was not observed during the curing reaction, but the phase separation occurred in a similar fashion to nucleation and growth (NG) mechanism at room temperature. On the other hand, when PVAc composition was over 11.65 wt%, the phase separation was generated in the middle of the curing process. Consequently, the phase separation seemed to influence the curing reaction rate, which was also supported by the changing activation energy with conversion and PVAc composition. Finally, the total scattered intensity was measured at various temperatures, and subsequently the diffusion rates of phase separation R(β_m) were evaluated.