Thermo-chemical coupled finite element modeling of epoxy resin frontal polymerization: effects of temperature-dependent properties and boundary materials

Frontal polymerization (FP) offers an efficient and energy-saving alternative to conventional curing methods for epoxy resins. In this study, a transient thermo-chemical coupled heat-transfer model (V-model) was developed using temperature-dependent thermophysical properties. Curing kinetics parameters were first determined by fitting data from non-isothermal differential scanning calorimetry of a BADGE-based resin. Compared to a constant-property model, accounting for changes in thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity significantly improved the accuracy of the predicted temperature profiles, aligning more closely with experimental observations. The validated V-model was then extended to evaluate the impact of boundary materials with different thermal conductivities on FP behavior. Experiments confirmed that high-conductivity boundaries facilitate preheating of unreacted resin, thereby promoting faster polymerization-wave propagation. Meanwhile, insulating boundary materials minimize heat loss, sustaining the FP reaction. This combined computational–experimental approach provides deeper insights into the heat-transfer mechanisms governing epoxy resin FP and guidance for optimizing industrial process parameters.