Recent Developments of Cyclo Olefin Polymers

Cyclo-olefin polymer (COP) is a saturated hydrocarbon polymer having an alicyclic structure. Specific properties of COP, including high transparency, high purity, low moisture adsorption and low adsorption, enabled it to be utilized in various fields such as optical devices, display parts, pharmaceutical- and bio-use, and in the semi-conductor industry. In this report, we introduce the latest advancement of COP that meets market demand for higher performance. In optical uses, we developed a new COP applicable for thin lenses with reduced weld line, focusing on the viscosity curve of the polymer melts. In pharmaceutical packaging applications, it was verified that adsorption and aggregation of proteins were largely suppressed in the COP package, as compared with the case in the conventional glass package. Finally, we succeeded to develop a crystalline COP having higher heat resistance, by controlling the stereostructure of the polymer chain.