Zeolitic imidazolate framework promoters in one-pot epoxy–amine reaction

Epoxy composites are widely used in commercial products. For industrial purposes, storage stability is one of their most important characteristics. To enable this feature, alternative promoters that are stable at a low-energy state, where they do not react, are needed. Zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) are organic–inorganic complexes, and they contain imidazolate linkers, which are one of the promoters in the epoxy–amine reaction. In this study, the stability of a one-pot epoxy–amine composite was improved by using ZIFs as promoters. ZIFs were synthesized using the solvothermal method, and their structure were confirmed using X-ray diffraction analysis and field-emission scanning electron microscopy. The activation energy of the ZIFs was measured using the non-isothermal method of differential scanning calorimetry, and it was calculated using the Kissinger equation. Furthermore, the storage stability of the one-pot epoxy–amine system was measured considering the viscosity change with time at constant temperature. The viscoelastic behavior of the cured sample was demonstrated using dynamic mechanical analysis.