What is pDCPD?

It’s the short name for polydicyclopentadiene, a thermoset polymer plastic material.

Thermosets like pDCPD are distinguished from thermoplastic materials, the other main group of plastics, because, unlike thermoplastics which revert back to liquid form under excessive heat, thermosets will remain in a post-cured form but may experience some physical property degradation under extreme temperatures.

pDCPD and other thermosets resist melting because of the process by which they’re created: Two dissimilar liquids are mixed together, creating high temperatures that foster cross-linking between molecular chains. This cross-linking contributes to thermosets’ heat resistance.

Creating pDCPD

Dicyclopentadiene (DCPD), a liquid monomer, is catalyzed by an active metal component via the ring opening metastasis polymerization (ROMP) process. The monomer and catalyst can be mixed by hand, by Resin Transfer Molding (RTM), or by Reaction Injection Molding (RIM).

The resulting polymer has:

high tensile strength

moderate flexural properties

high impact strength

high heat distortion temperature

excellent corrosion resistance

We use two different metal-activated catalyst systems that allow for unique mechanical properties, which are customizable for given projects. The liquid DCPD monomer also can be combined with several additives to create specialized resin formulations.

These formulations allow the final polymerized material to have a wide range of mechanical properties and performance characteristics to meet varied project specifications.  Some of the material’s many possible characteristics include:

Flexibility

Rigidity

Flame retardance

Pigmentation

Abrasive resistance

Corrosion resistance is another beneficial characteristic of pDCPD, which has been used in the chlor-alkali industry for more than 20 years.

pDCPD’s chemical resistance for alkaline solutions is superior to many of the other thermosetting plastic materials available today. It also has good chemical resistance to acidic solutions.  A list of chemical resistance for various acids and bases is available upon request.

Other characteristics, such as tensile and flexural properties, can be increased several times over through the addition of fibers, either micro fibers, long fibers, or continuous fibers. Superior impact properties are also achieved by adding various fiber lengths and types.

Processing pDCPD

pDCPD can be processed or molded using steel, aluminum, and composite molds.

Osborne Industries’ composite mold building capabilities provide a low-cost solution for prototyping and short-run projects, allowing innovators to trial new design concepts before moving to the production phase. Aluminum tooling provides a lower-cost solution, when compared to competitive processes, because of the low in-mold pressure used during molding. Surface finish yielded from aluminum tooling is often found to be acceptable however, if Class A surface quality is required, polished steel or nickel plated tooling may provide the best solution.

pDCPD molded parts can also have variable cross-sectional thicknesses throughout the part for bosses, ribs, structural features, or style. Some care is necessary when designing parts with variable cross-sectional thicknesses to ensure phantom lines are minimized and differential part shrinkage is controlled.

Finishing Touches

Several types of finishes are possible for pDCPD molded parts. The final part can remain unpainted, painted, or even coated with special material applied during the molding process. Other coating methods are being explored and tested currently.

Visit our Product Gallery to see samples of parts molded using the RTM and RIM processes.

Contact Osborne Industries to learn how pDCPD can make a difference in your next project.

Osborne Industries, Inc. | Box 388 | Osborne, Kansas 67473

PH: 785-346-2192 | Fax: 785-346-2194 Toll Free: 800-255-0316 (U.S. & Canada)