Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization-Derived Poly(dicyclopentadiene)/Fiber Composites Using Latent Pre-Catalysts

The preparation of basalt and S-glass fiber-reinforced poly(dicyclopentadiene) via ring-opening metathesis polymerization using a thermally latent pre-catalyst, that is, Mo(N-3,5-Me2-C6H3)(= CH-(2-MeO-C6H4))(IMes)(OTf)2 (1, IMes = 1,3-dimesitylimidazol-2-ylidene; OTf = SO3CF3) is reported. Complementarily, the non-latent first-generation Grubbs initiator RuCl2(PPh3)2(CHPh) (2) is used. 2 can be rendered latent by the addition of ppm amounts of triphenylphosphine (PPh3). Both 1 and 2/PPh3 allow the realization of thermally latent single-component systems with sufficient pot life that do not require pre-mixing of the individual components shortly before use. The prepared fiber matrix composites are characterized in terms of mechanical, thermal, and chemical stability. Basalt and S-glass fiber-reinforced poly(dicyclopentadiene) composites are prepared by ring-opening metathesis polymerization using the latent pre-catalyst Mo(N-3,5-Me2-C6H3)(= CH-(2-MeO-C6H4))(1,3-dimesitylimidazol-2-ylidene)(SO3CF3)2) (1). Complementarily, the non-latent Grubbs initiator RuCl2(PPh3)2(CHPh) (2) is rendered latent by the addition of ppm amounts of triphenylphosphine. 1 and 2/PPh3 offer access to thermally latent, singe-component systems; the resulting composites are characterized in terms of mechanical, thermal, and chemical stability.image