The cloud point and the gel time behavior of an epoxy system based on diglycidyl ether of Bisphenol-A with triethylenetetramine modified with different acrylic copolymers were studied. The molecular weights and the concentration of carboxyl groups in the copolymers affected the morphology and the cloud point, but did not affect the gel times and reaction rates significantly. The system modified with the acrylic copolymers exhibited kinetic retardation effects. The morphology was related to adherence to the lap shear in steel-steel joints, through mechanical resistance essays using a single-lap-joint, which was produced with the system modified with the acrylic copolymers according to ASTM D 1002. The best performance in adherence to the single lap shear for the molecular weights studied was obtained with a morphology based on particles with average diameters lower than 0.10 µm. However, the best mechanical behavior for the concentration of carboxylic groups was achieved when the morphology was based on a particles size in the range from 0.20 to 0.52 µm.
Diglycidyl ether of Bisfenol-A; triethylenetetramine; acrylic copolymers; induced phase separation by chemical reaction
