Soft Materials Seminar - "Catalytic chain ends enable particles which participate in frontal polymerization"

Frontal polymerization is an energy-efficient means to rapidly manufacture high-performance thermosets and thermoplastics. Compartmentalized catalysts enable frontally polymerizable resins with enhanced pot lives at the expense of mechanical robustness. Here, we report on the synthesis of catalytic particles from dicyclopentadiene which enable frontally polymerizable resins with short-term inhibition. Characterization of pDCPD derived from these particles demonstrates a glass transition of 165°C and a modulus of 1.8 GPa, comparable to neat resin systems. These catalytic particles represent a homogeneous, one-pot resin system with tunable front speed and pot-life via particle catalyst loading.