Deterministic Approach to Obtain Autocatalytic Cure Kinetics Model Constants by Normal Equations of Least-Squares Method

This paper proposes a novel method to determine the constants of the autocatalytic model using DSC data. The proposed method is based on the normal equations, which is an analytical approach of the least-squares method. The method requires only two standard DSC dynamic scan data obtained at the linear heating rates of 5 and 10 °C/min, but can obtain the four cure kinetics parameters of the autocatalytic model, including the activation energy, analytically but accurately without regression analyses. The method is implemented for a highly-filled epoxy molding compound (EMC). Excellent agreements between the predicted cure extent and the test data corroborate the robustness and accuracy of the proposed method.