Cure Characterization of Dicyclopentadiene-Based Frontal Polymerization Resin

Frontal polymerization allows for flexible, out-of-autoclave processing with very rapid curing. In this project, advanced characterization techniques were applied to a dicyclopentadiene-based (DCPD) thermoset resin to develop an understanding of the cure kinetics and the thermomechanical and relaxation behaviors of a frontal ring opening metathesis polymerization (FROMP) system. Isoconversional analysis (ICA) was applied to non-isothermal differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) cure data to establish the activation energy trends in the FROMP reaction. As the curing reaction proceeds, the activation energy increased steadily, then rose significantly at conversions above 80%. These insights were contextualized with rheology, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and dielectric analysis (DEA) to gain insights into thermomechanical and key relaxation behavior in this system. In addition to an observed glass transition, the resin exhibits significant alpha and beta transitions that affect curing, a hypothesized devitrification, and thermomechanical property development. The present study explores the relationship between cure rate and thermomechanical behavior to improve the understanding and control of cured parts using DCPD-based resins.