In situ monitoring of chemical reactions in and molecular dynamics of model compounds by dielectric relaxation spectroscopy

We have investigated a set of small molecules, which, in terms of chemical groups and overall molecular architecture, are representative of several of the more complex epoxide/amine network-forming systems. The static and dynamic dielectric relaxation properties of selected model compounds are obtained and discussed. The static properties are of interest for their relation to the fundamental material property, the dipole moment. From this relation, the potential for the determination of the chemical composition of reactive mixtures via an additivity of group dipole moments is explored. Dipole dynamics of the model compounds are determined and are related to cooperative molecular and submolecular motions in these simple molecules and it is shown how these findings may be extended to complex polymer networks composed of chemically similar moieties.