The curing behavior of two resins, five blocked toluene diisocyanate (TDI) crosslinkers and polyacrylate, was studied using Torsional Braid Analysis (TBA) to examine their dynamic mechanical properties. The curing process was clearly divided into two stages. Associated with data from in situ FTIR at the molecular level, the first stage was the reaction of deblocked NCO and hydroxyl in polyacrylate. In the second stage, the deblocked NCO attacked the hydrogen in NH group of the urethane bond to conduct deep curing. Computer modeling was used to investigate the lowest-energy configuration of the crosslinker molecule. The space hindrance effect in the molecule causes this type of three-group crosslinking curing mechanism in the blocked TDI crosslinker. (C) 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.