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This study presents the characterization of cross-linking parameters of a liquid crystalline epoxy monomer with an aromatic diamine as a curing agent. The mixture tested consisted of bis 4-(10,11-epoxyundecanoyloxy)benzoate p-phenylene (LCEM) and 1,3-phenylenediamine (1,3-PDA). This paper focuses on the structural characterization of such systems using X-ray analysis. To investigate this, a comprehensive analysis was conducted using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Wide-Angle X-ray Scattering (WAXS). Through DSC analysis, the curing behavior and transition temperature of the liquid crystal epoxy system were established. To fully characterize the cross-linking of the system, a novel technique called DSC-TOPEM® was employed. The use of this technique enabled real-time monitoring of the curing process and provided precise information on the cross-linking energy, which resulted in the finding that the mixture was cross-linking faster than expected. WAXS analysis was performed to assess the structural changes formed during the cross-linking. The results of this analysis confirm that lower cross-linking temperatures of the mixture cause better ordering of mesogens than higher ones.
Zając et al. (Wed,) studied this question.