Effects of the Catalyst Concentration on the Cure Behavior of a Dicyanate Ester Prepolymer

Differential Scanning Calorimetry, DSC, and thermogravimetry, TGA, were employed to investigate the thermal stability of a dicyanate ester prepolymer which reacts to form a high-Tg polycyanurate network. The bisphenol-A dicyanate was cured without and with catalyst system. Samples of different catalyst loadings: copper (II) acetylacetonate, Cu (AcAc)₂ from 0 to 750 ppm and nonylphenol, NP, from 0 to 4 phr were investigated. The thermal stability of the forming network through curing was found to be significantly improved by the first addition of metal catalyst. The co-catalyst, NP, presented a remarkable plasticization effect in the cured resin. The experimental results point to the use of a copper metal catalyst system to better cure the bisphenol-A dicyanate polymer.