Preparation and properties of cyclopentadiene-containing monomer modified polydicyclopentadiene

A series of 1,4-dicyclopentadienylmethyl benzene (DMB) enhanced polydicyclopentadiene (DMB/polyDCPD blends) and 2,2′-dicyclopentadienyl ether (DCPE) toughened polyDCPD (DCPE/polyDCPD blends) were prepared via the ring-opening metathesis polymerisation (ROMP). The curing behaviour, thermal and mechanical properties were investigated. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) investigations of the DMB/polyDCPD blends showed the samples exhibited similar singular exothermic peak, and the exothermic peak of blends shifted to a higher temperature direction compared with the unfilled polyDCPD. However, the exothermic peak of the DCPE/polyDCPD blends presented two exothermic peaks. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) measurements exhibited that the glassy modulus was enhanced as the DMB content increased. Thermal performance of DMB/polyDCPD has been enhanced with an increasing amount of DMB which was investigated by thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) measurements. Whereas, the thermal stabilities of the DCPE/polyDCPD blends have been weakened with an increasing amount of DCPE. Moreover, the toughness of the DCPE/polyDCPD blends displayed a maximum performance at 60 wt% loading of DCPE.