The Polymer Society of Korea

Abstract

Poly(dicyclopentadiene) (PDCPD), which is a cross-linked hydrocarbon polymer, exhibits high mechanical, thermal, and chemical stability. This enables the formation of porous PDCPD with tunable morphology and pore sizes. However, previous approaches for preparing nanoporous polymers require block copolymer precursors, which limit efficient production. Moreover, the resulting porous PDCPD is not degradable, which is a limitation for a circular economy. Here, we report a facile synthesis of nanostructured and degradable nanoporous PDCPD via ring-opening polymerization-induced microphase separation. Sequential polymerization of sacrificial block, followed by polymerization of DCPD and a cleavable monomer, results in the formation of nanostructured PDCPD. Subsequent selective removal of the sacrificial block generates porous PDCPD, and acid treatment enables degradation of the porous PDCPD. The detailed microphase separation behaviors, porosity, and degradability will be discussed.