Influence of the Stoichiometric Ratio on the Curing Kinetics and Mechanical Properties of Epoxy Resin Cured with a Rosin‐Based Anhydride

Bio-based alternatives for petroleum-based epoxy resin curing agents, such as maleopimaric acid (MPA), are indispensable sustainable fiber reinforced polymer composites with thermosetting matrices. However, previous investigations disregarded the importance of choosing right stoichiometric ratio R between anhydride groups in rosin-based agent and resin. Therefore, influence on kinetics mechanical properties an cured a is studied. Here, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT–IR) indicates that ⩾ 0.9 unreacted present thermoset. Consequently, network density decreases glass transition temperature Tg drops by about 40 °C. On other hand, steric hindrance functional 0.9, increases flexural modulus reduced improves fracture toughness. The results indicate best overall high performance good processability preferably low (R ⩽ 0.7). due to viscosity. latency mixtures therefore, not fit processing via prepreg technology.