Empirical model of the viscosity of an epoxy binder at the initial stage of the polymerization process

This article presents the results of an experimental study and numerical simulation of the kinetics of curing of an epoxy binder at the initial stage of the polymerization process. Object of research: two-component composition of epoxy resin L and hardener EPH 161, certified as a binder for composite materials for aerospace purposes. The ordinary differential equation is used as the basic model for describing the polymerization process. The values of the material parameters required to perform the calculation operations were obtained by the rheological method using the analysis of changes in the viscosity of the binder depending on the time and temperature of polymerization. Isothermal and non-isothermal polymerization cases are considered. The modes in which the increase in the temperature of the process leads to a decrease in the viscosity of the epoxide composition, despite the polymerization process, were highlighted. The estimates of the model parameters obtained by processing the data of full-scale experiments are also given.