Copolymers of Functionalized and Nonfunctionalized Polydicyclopentadiene

Polydicyclopentadiene (PDCPD) is a thermoset polymer that is valued in industry for its excellent mechanical properties, heat resistance, and chemical tolerance. However, the commercial polymer lacks chemically tunable functionality. Recently, a methyl ester functionalized polydicyclopentadiene ( f PDCPD) was shown to offer significantly improved tunability while maintaining the same thermal stability as the unfunctionalized parent polymer. In this report, we describe the synthesis and characterization of poly[(methyl ester functionalized dicyclopentadiene)- stat -(dicyclopentadiene)] copolymers in which the mole fraction of the functionalized, ester-containing monomer, relative to the unfunctionalized dicyclopentadiene monomer, is systematically increased. Our data reveal an ability to tune physical and mechanical properties of the copolymers (e.g., alpha transition and hardness) by changing the monomer ratio and thermal curing time. Importantly, the copolymers retain the same thermal stability as the individual homopolymers, while allowing for increased control over surface energy.