Determination of dielectric and calorimetric properties in the cure reaction of two thermosets by dielectric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry

Dielectric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry were used to study the cure reaction of an epoxy resin (the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) (n = 0)) and two curing agents, ie 1,2‐diamine cyclohexane (1,2‐DCH) and m‐xylylenediamine (m‐XDA). Various dielectric properties, such as the relaxed permittivity, unrelaxed permittivity and dipole strength, were determined as a function of the curing time, temperature and conversion. The dielectric curing properties observed were related to geometric and energetic aspects of the samples. Analysis of the results shows that the relaxed permittivity and dipole strength are higher for the system DGEBA (n = 0)/1,2‐DCH than for the system DGEBA (n = 0)/m‐XDA.