Characterization of alkyd based thermosetting resins

The rate of cure of different oxidative drying oil modified alkyd resins are investigated by DSC, when the cure is made under UV light or not. We determine, from the Kissinger equation, the apparent activation energy at different stages of the curing process. This activation energy depends on the curing conditions (temperature, illumination or not). These variations lead to the determination of a time constant, characteristic of the curing kinetics. Two particular values of the apparent activation energy are also defined. The first one called AEo is a characteristic of the varnish at the liquid state, the second one called ΔE inf characterizes the stability of the structural state of the final film.