Synthesis and Hydrogenation of Poly(norbornadiene-co-cyclohexadiene) Block Copolymers with Enhanced Thermomechanical Performance

Synthesis and Hydrogenation of Poly(norbornadiene-co-cyclohexadiene) Block Copolymers with Enhanced Thermomechanical Performance | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Synthesis and Hydrogenation of Poly(norbornadiene-co-cyclohexadiene) Block Copolymers with Enhanced Thermomechanical Performance Mustapha Sani Shehu, Alaaddin M. M. Saeed, Gui-Ping Cao, Jun-Yang Yan This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7081790/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 29 Nov, 2025 Read the published version in Journal of Polymer Research → Version 1 posted 5 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract A novel di-block copolymer, poly(norbornadiene-co-cyclohexadiene) was synthesized via sequential ring-opening metathesis copolymerization (ROMCP) using Grubbs' third-generation catalyst. To overcome the intrinsic brittleness and limited thermal performance of cyclic olefin copolymers, the material was further modified through catalytic hydrogenation using a palladium supported on porous nickel decorated with carbon nanotubes (Pd@PN-CNT). The post-polymerization (catalytic hydrogenation) significantly enhanced the thermomechanical properties: the glass transition temperature increased from 127 ℃ to 139 ℃, and the degradation temperature rose from 438 ℃ to 519 ℃. Mechanical testing revealed improvements in tensile strength (from 14.58 MPa to 28.93 MPa), elongation at break (from 16.44 % to 32.34 %), and elastic modulus (from 28.61 MPa to 39.87 MPa). These improvements are attributed to the saturation of unsaturated bonds, reduction in chain defects, and enhanced phase separation. The high hydrogenation efficiency of the Pd@PN-CNT catalyst also demonstrated excellent reusability. This work presents a viable route for tailoring the thermal and mechanical performance of block copolymers, positioning hydrogenated poly(NBD-co-CHD) as a promising candidate for advanced applications in elastomers and high-performance engineering materials. Copolymerization Catalytic Hydrogenation Cycloolefin Copolymer Thermomechanical Properties Post-polymerization Thermoplastic Elastomers Full Text Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 29 Nov, 2025 Read the published version in Journal of Polymer Research → Version 1 posted Reviewers agreed at journal 20 Aug, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 20 Aug, 2025 Editor invited by journal 07 Aug, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 12 Jul, 2025 First submitted to journal 10 Jul, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7081790","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":503015948,"identity":"ed90a3b0-6975-4396-867d-b84e40be4f2e","order_by":0,"name":"Mustapha Sani Shehu","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Mustapha","middleName":"Sani","lastName":"Shehu","suffix":""},{"id":503015949,"identity":"0b423c8b-25c5-4823-9a0a-5ff636bf1d9e","order_by":1,"name":"Alaaddin M. M. 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