The catalytic effect of copper oxides on the curing and degradation behaviors of the cyanate ester resin is studied with infrared spectroscopy, attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy (ATR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetry analysis (TGA). The result of infrared spectroscopy and DSC analyses indicates that accelerated curing effects from different additives are in the order of zinc octoate > cuprous oxide > cupric oxide. The exothen-nic characteristics of the cyanate ester resin during cure are drastically affected by the presence of the copper oxides. In addition, it is obtained from TGA analyses that the thermal stability and degradation mechanism of cyanate ester resins are also significantly affected by the addition of copper oxides whereas the extent of degradation from the cupric oxide is greater than that from the cuprous oxide. These results are attributed to the differences in catalytic effects and surface areas of two copper oxides on the cyanate ester resin in contact during the thermal exposure. (c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.