A tetrafunctional epoxy resin was modified using CO 2 fixation process in the presence of tetra-n-butyl ammonium bromide as catalyst. The unmodified tetrafunctional epoxy resin (UMTE) and CO 2 fixated modified tetrafunctional epoxy resin (CFMTE) were cured by diethylenetriamine. A bifunctional glycidyl ether compound was used as a reactive diluent to control the viscosity of CFMTE. The activation energy of curing reaction was computed using the advanced integral isoconversional method. The activation energy, which depends on the conversion, was considerably changed due to the CO 2 fixation process. The thermal stability parameters including the initial degradation temperature, the temperature at the maximum rate of weight loss (T max ), and the decomposition activation energy (E d ) were determined by thermal gravimetry. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis measurements showed that the CO 2 fixation decreases the T g of the epoxy resin. The surface morphology of UMTE and CFMTE were determined by scanning electron microscope. It is concluded that CO 2 fixation reaction improves the properties of tetrafunctional epoxy resin.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.