Modeling strategy for systems with both stepwise and chainwise chemistry: Amine‐epoxy networks with etherification

A comparison between the entirely statistical and the combined kinetic and statistical model for amine‐epoxy networks, both studied previously in the literature is made. The chemistry studied involves the generation of a secondary site which reacts in the network through chainwise addition rather than the stepwise addition mode of the primary reaction. It is shown that the combined model is exact and the naïve statistical models are approximate. The assumptions underlying the two models are delineated. It is shown, that under certain circumstances, the predictions of the two models can differ by several hundred percent. Further, the combined model is extended to predict the postgel properties of the network.