A comprehensive study on the curing kinetics and network formation of cyanate ester resin/clay nanocomposites

► Incorporation of clays showed different catalytic effects on cure of cyanate ester. ► With the incorporation of 3 wt% 30 B clay, the cure temperature decreased by 65 °C. ► The clays reacted with the CY to form a coordination complex firstly. ► The coordination complex was then transformed to O(CNH)O bonds during the cure. ► The formation of the 3-dimensional network for CY/clay nanocomposites was delayed.