Use of Dicyclopentadiene and Methyl Dicyclopentadiene for the Synthesis of Unsaturated Polyester Resins

Abstract

Dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) modified unsaturated polyester resins (UPRs) are mostly used for hulls, decks, and bathroom facilities. Main advantages of these polymers over orthophthalic or isophthalic polyesters are their relatively low shrinking, reduced styrene emission, lower cost, and fast curing in thin layers. On the other hand, once cured, these materials are more brittle and have lower glass transition temperatures and lower chemical resistance due to their different chemical constitutions. DCPD UPRs with standard grades are usually produced with high-quality DCPD (over a 85% purity) using the so-called “water process”, a synthesis consisting of two reaction steps. An adduct of maleic anhydride with DCPD is firstly formed with water, and then, it reacts with the other esterification monomers such as acids and glycols. DCPD raw materials used in this study were prepared by a unique distillation process developed by ORLEN Unipetrol and University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague. This technology allows producing a wide spectrum of DCPD quality by adjusting the content of another norbornene dimer: methyl dicyclopentadiene (MeDCPD). The influence of MeDCPD on unsaturated polyester properties was examined throughout this study. It has been discovered that in low concentrations, MeDCPD had a slight influence on flexural mechanical properties whereas its concentrations up to 65% led to a softer and brittle material. Nevertheless, by adjusting the unsaturation degree, it has been shown that MeDCPD may be successfully implanted in UPR formulation.

History of Research, Development and Implementation of Dicyclopentadiene Production in Litvínov

“…Potenciálně je možné izolovat až 4 kt methyl-DCPD za rok. Vyrobený methyl-DCPD na nově instalované jednotce DCPD byl již úspěšně testován v rámci interního výzkumu jako surovina pro výrobu nenasycených polyesterových pryskyřic 18,19 a jeho případná výroba je zařazena do strategického plánu rozvoje výroby.…”

New Technology for Production of Dicyclopentadiene and Methyl-Dicyklopentadiene

“…The quality of both DCPD grades is listed in the Table 1 below. A valuable concentrate of methyl dicyclopentadiene isomers (MeDCPD) can be advantageously coupled to the implemented dicyclopentadiene technology [22]. The technology for isolating methyl-dicyclopentadiene as a by-product of dicyclopentadiene production was already proposed and is being prepared.…”

Development of a novel hyperbranched unsaturated polyester resin: Synthesis, characterization, and potential applications in car body putty

“…The choice of monomers allows for the customization of the copolymer to meet specific requirements in various industries. In present work, in addition to modified DCOFA, DCPD-M 35 and TMPDE are other components used in UPR synthesis. It further enhances the mechanical properties of resin 34 , including its hardness and toughness.…”