Adhesive Formulation for Poly-Dicyclopentadiene Components

Poly-Dicyclopentadiene (Poly-DCPD) is a polymer that offers potential as a material of construction for defense and non-defense items. An adhesive system that would have similar or greater strength than the poly-DCPD polymer substrate would enable theconstruction of complex items from simple low cost shapes. Currently, only conventional mechanical means such as fasteners may be employed for such application. Tanks, for example, often require internal and external components. The use of conventionalfasteners would penetrate the tank shell or would produce areas of high stress concentration. An adhesive would allow attachment without penetrating the shell or creating unnecessarily high stress concentrations on the vessel wall. An adhesive offers asafe and effective manner in which to make repairs or to reinforce areas where failure might occur.The greatest benefit of an adhesive system is that it allows the fabrication of complex objects from simple components. This is important for production of small volume parts where mold cost to produce the finished item would otherwise be prohibitive.Using an adhesive, it would be possible to join sheets with structural shapes for production of high strength, low volume materials. These shapes can be molded in low cost, significantly reducing market entry barriers.