A New Method for Chemically Recycling Dicyclopentadiene Thermosets

Patent Status

Patent Pending

Brief Description

The invention addresses the problem of recycling high-performance thermosets by developing a chemical process to deconstruct cycloolefin resins (CORs) that contain dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) crosslinkers. This process, developed by UC Berkeley researchers, uses a second-generation Hoveyda–Grubbs ruthenium(II) alkylidene catalyst for deconstruction via ring-closing metathesis. The method selectively reforms the cyclopentene ring in DCPD, allowing the resulting linear polyDCPD chains to be reused in new manufacturing cycles. This enables resin-to-resin circularity, with up to 84% of the linear DCPD being retrievable from end-of-life thermosets. The properties of the recycled material are comparable to the original, and the process works on various commercial and model CORs.

Suggested uses

• Creating a circular economy for high-performance thermosets.

• Recycling of single-use products made from CORs.

• Manufacturing new products from recycled DCPD materials.

• Reducing waste and environmental impact from thermoset production.

Advantages

• Enables resin-to-resin circularity for DCPD thermosets, which are typically difficult to recycle.

• Achieves a high material recovery rate, with up to 84% of linear DCPD being retrievable.

• Reproduces the properties of the original thermoset in subsequent generations of recycled material.

• Provides a method for deconstructing various CORs, including copolymers.

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