In this article, the influences of the external electric field exerted to the curing epoxy and epoxy/acrylate systems on their cured microstructures and macroscopic performances were investigated by means of morphological investigation and some characteristic analyses. Epoxy and epoxy/acrylate (an interpenetrating polymer network) systems were subjected to the action of the alternating electric field during the curing process. The changes in the nanolamellae microstructure in the cured epoxy and the nanoellipsoid microstructure in the cured epoxy/acrylate systems resulting from the electric field treatment were observed using atomic force microscopy. Dynamic mechanical analysis showed that the external electric field treatment made the low and high relaxation peaks shift to the lower and higher temperatures, respectively. Thermogravimetric analysis implied that the curing reactions of the epoxy systems with the aid of the external electric field resulted in some negative influences on their thermal stability. The dielectric measurements demonstrated that the electrical properties of the epoxy system for vacuum pressure impregnation insulation of the high-voltage electric machines could be much improved with the aid of the external electric field. (c) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012