ABSTRACT
The cure of a rubber modified epoxy resin with a diamine, in a heated mold, is analyzed through the numerical solution of the thermal energy and mass balances. The resulting conversion vs temperature trajectories, at different positions in the part, are introduced in a phase separation model previously developed, to obtain the corresponding phase separation profiles. It is shown that the concentration of dispersed phase particles as well as the volume fraction of the dispersed phase, go through a maximum located near the surface. In this region the particle size distribution is enriched in small particles. The effect of varying the wall temperature or the initial rubber concentration, upon the phase separation profiles, is discussed.
