Interval Analysis: A New Tool for the Characterization of an Epoxy-Amine/Aluminum System

Abstract

Epoxy-amine/aluminum chemical systems or sandwich structures with and without interphase formation are prepared using two different curing cycles and are characterized with dielectric spectroscopy. The sample without interphase formation is obtained when the reaction between epoxy and amine groups is favored, which occurs at high temperature. The interphase formation results from the reaction between the amine group and aluminum surface at room temperature. Dielectric spectra are fitted using the Set Inversion Via Interval Analysis (SIVIA) algorithm applied to DiElectric spectroscopy algorithm (SADE) developed using the method of intervals analysis. A new approach is implemented using a sum of Debye relaxations to optimize and guarantee the fitting. The results achieved show a distribution of relaxation times, which always take place at the same time as demonstrated. In this study, five Debye relaxations were found which fit the β-relaxation with our model. Finally, we showed that the more intensive of our five β -relaxations follows the Arrhenius law.

Keywords

• epoxy-amine
• dielectric spectroscopy
• modelisation
• relaxation
• data processing interphase