Abstract: Epoxy molding compounds for integrated circuits (IC) packaging were prepared by using phenolic resin as a curing agent, either 2-methyl imidazole or triphenyl phosphine as a curing accelerator. The curing behavior of the compounds was investigated by non-isothermal DSC method. Based on Kissinger, Crane, and Ozawa methods, the kinetic parameters such as activation energy and reaction order of the curing reaction were obtained. The characteristic temperatures of the curing process such as gel temperature, curing temperature, and postcuring temperature were calculated by extrapolation. It was found that the compound using 2-methyl imidazole had a lower activation energy compared with that using triphenyl phosphine.

Key words: phenolic resin, intergrated circuit, epoxy molding compound, curing kinetics