Cure Behavior and Tensile Properties of Ethylidene Norbornene/endo-Dicyclopentadiene Blends

Ethylidene norbornene(ENB)과 endo-dicyclopentadiene(endo-DCPD) 블렌드를 $1^{st}$ generation과 $2^{nd}$ generation Grubbs 촉매 하에서 ring-opening metathesis polymerization(ROMP)으로 제조하였다. ROMP 과정을 이해하기 위하여 시차주사열분석기(DSC)로 동적 발열거동을 분석하였으며, 반응 후 만능시험기(UTM)로 인장특성을 조사하였다. 반응속도는 endo-DCPD의 양이 적을수록 그리고 $2^{nd}$ generation 촉매 하에서 더 빨라졌다. 또한 endo-DCPD를 첨가할수록 그리고 $1^{st}$ generation 촉매 시스템에서 인장탄성률과 강도는 더 높은 값을 보였으나 강인성은 감소하였다. 이와 같은 인장특성의 변화를 젤 분율 측정과 파단면 관찰을 통하여 자세히 설명하였다. Ethylidene norbornene (ENB) and its blends with endo-dicyclopentadiene (endo-DCPD) were prepared and reacted via the ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) reaction with the $1^{st}$ and $2^{nd}$ generation Grubbs' catalysts. Dynamic exothermic behaviors during ROMP and tensile properties after ROMP were evaluated using a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and a universal testing machine (UTM) for the samples, respectively. It revealed that the ROMP rate was accelerated with the less contents of endo-DCPD and under the $2^{nd}$ generation catalyst. Also, the addition of endo-DCPD and the $1^{st}$ generation catalyst resulted in higher tensile modulus and strength but lower toughness. Gel fraction measurement and fracture surface observation were made to understand the tensile properties.