Transition metal chelates as accelerators for epoxy resin systems—studies with cobalt (III) acetylacetonate

Cobalt(III)acetylacetonate serves as an accelerator for anhydride curable epoxy resin system and the rate of curing is found to increase with enhanced concentrations of the metal chelate. There is also an appreciable reduction in the cure gel time. Kinetic studies based on thermal analytical techniques reveal that the overall curing process follows first order kinetics. Based on the kinetic results a cure schedule has been proposed. It is also observed that the electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties of the cured epoxy system are not altered by the presence of the metal chelate at the concentration studied.