Thermal stability of linear polydicyclopentadiene

Thermal stability of linear polydicyclopentadiene (L-PDCPD) obtained with s pecial binary catalytic complexes based on tungsten chlorides and allylsila nes derivatives is presented. It is shown that in the temperature range of 30-1000 degrees C, the principal thermal behavior of L-PDCPD, obtained with the above mentioned catalytic systems, consists of an endothermal transiti on that corresponds to the glass transition temperature and two other exoth ermal transitions corresponding respectively to thermal polymerization and thermo-oxidation. Thermal stability of L-PDCPD, thus a cyclic-based polyole fin with high degree of unsaturation all along the macromolecular chain, se ems to be better than that of linear polyethylene chains, polymers known to be slightly branched. Thermal stability of L-PDCPD could likely be enhance d by a better control of the catalyst residues, and/or a proper stabilizati on, and/or an appropriate thermal treatment. Fast electron irradiation and temperature have different effect on L-PDCPD.