Rheological study of the SAN modified epoxy–DDM system: relationship between viscosity and viscoelastic phase separation

The rheological behavior and structural transitions in an epoxy–amine system and poly(styrene-acrylonitrile) SAN modified epoxy–amine systems were studied by, optical microscopy and rheometry. The SAN modified epoxy blends undergo viscoelastic phase separation. The concentration of SAN has a profound effect on viscoelastic phase separation and hence the rheological behavior of modified epoxy systems. The evolution of complex viscosity is closely related to viscoelastic phase separation. The increase in complex viscosity shifted to shorter times upon increasing the concentration of SAN due to viscoelastic phase separation. The complex viscosity profiles follow an exponential growth with phase separation at various cure temperatures. The relaxation time of viscosity growth depends on both the concentration of SAN and cure temperature. The relaxation time of viscosity growth can be described by the WLF equation.