There is provided a curable composition comprising (A) a cyclic olefin; (B) a metathesis catalyst for polymerizing the cyclic olefin; (C) 0.1-30 wt. % of a compound comprising at least one vinyl group; and (D) 0.1-10 wt. % of a curing agent for compound (C), wherein the wt. % are relative to the total weight of the composition. The composition provides a desirable combination of workability, toughness and heat resistance. Also provided is a molded article comprising the composition and reinforcing fibers, and a method of manufacturing the same.

There is provided a curable composition comprising (A) a cyclic olefin; (B) a metathesis catalyst for polymerizing the cyclic olefin; (C) 0.1-30 wt. % of a compound comprising at least one vinyl group; and (D) 0.1-10 wt. % of a curing agent for compound (C), wherein the wt. % are relative to the total weight of the composition. The composition provides a desirable combination of workability, toughness and heat resistance. Also provided is a molded article comprising the composition and reinforcing fibers, and a method of manufacturing the same.

Provided is a resin composition configured to show a small change in the void ratio of hollow resin particles during mold processing and configured to stably mold a lightweight molded product. The resin composition is a resin composition comprising 50 parts by mass to 95 parts by mass of a thermoplastic plastomer and 5 parts by mass to 50 parts by mass of hollow resin particles, wherein the hollow resin particles have a void ratio of from 50% to 85%; wherein the hollow resin particles have a shell containing a resin; and wherein, with respect to 100 parts by mass of repeating units constituting the resin, 30 parts by mass to 100 parts by mass of a crosslinkable monomer unit and 0 part by mass to 70 parts by mass of a non-crosslinkable monomer unit are contained as a polymerizable monomer unit.

Provided is a resin composition configured to show a small change in the void ratio of hollow resin particles during mold processing and configured to stably mold a lightweight molded product. The resin composition is a resin composition comprising 50 parts by mass to 95 parts by mass of a thermoplastic plastomer and 5 parts by mass to 50 parts by mass of hollow resin particles, wherein the hollow resin particles have a void ratio of from 50% to 85%; wherein the hollow resin particles have a shell containing a resin; and wherein, with respect to 100 parts by mass of repeating units constituting the resin, 30 parts by mass to 100 parts by mass of a crosslinkable monomer unit and 0 part by mass to 70 parts by mass of a non-crosslinkable monomer unit are contained as a polymerizable monomer unit.

Described herein are hydrocarbon polymer modifiers for use in various applications. The hydrocarbon polymer modifier comprises a cyclic component, and has a glass transition temperature and Mn defined by the following two equations: (1) Tg≥95−2.2*(% H Ar); and (2) Tg≥−53+(0.265*Mn) and an aromaticity content of greater than 6 mole %, wherein Tg is glass transition temperature as expressed in ° C. of the modifier, the % H Ar represents the content of aromatic protons in the hydrocarbon polymer modifier, and Mn represents the number average molecular weight of the hydrocarbon polymer modifier, and the cyclic component is selected from the group of a distillation cut from a petroleum refinery stream, and/or C.sub.4 C.sub.5 or C.sub.6 cyclic olefins and mixtures thereof. The hydrocarbon modifiers are particularly useful in high Tg applications where low molecular weight resin is desirable.

Described herein are hydrocarbon polymer modifiers for use in various applications. The hydrocarbon polymer modifier comprises a cyclic component, and has a glass transition temperature and Mn defined by the following two equations: (1) Tg≥95−2.2*(% H Ar); and (2) Tg≥−53+(0.265*Mn) and an aromaticity content of greater than 6 mole %, wherein Tg is glass transition temperature as expressed in ° C. of the modifier, the % H Ar represents the content of aromatic protons in the hydrocarbon polymer modifier, and Mn represents the number average molecular weight of the hydrocarbon polymer modifier, and the cyclic component is selected from the group of a distillation cut from a petroleum refinery stream, and/or C.sub.4 C.sub.5 or C.sub.6 cyclic olefins and mixtures thereof. The hydrocarbon modifiers are particularly useful in high Tg applications where low molecular weight resin is desirable.

Disclosed is a conjugated diene polymer comprising a conjugated diene as a monomeric unit. The conjugated diene polymer is obtained by a polymerization reaction in a reaction solution comprising a conjugated diene, at least one compound selected from the group consisting of limonene, terpinene, and terpinolene, and an organoalkali metal compound as a polymerization initiator. Mz/Mn is 1.7 or more and 4.0 or less, when Mz is a Z-average molecular weight of the conjugated diene polymer, Mn is a number average molecular weight of the conjugated diene polymer, and the Z-average molecular weight and the number average molecular weight are values in terms of polystyrene by gel permeation chromatography.

Disclosed is a conjugated diene polymer comprising a conjugated diene as a monomeric unit. The conjugated diene polymer is obtained by a polymerization reaction in a reaction solution comprising a conjugated diene, at least one compound selected from the group consisting of limonene, terpinene, and terpinolene, and an organoalkali metal compound as a polymerization initiator. Mz/Mn is 1.7 or more and 4.0 or less, when Mz is a Z-average molecular weight of the conjugated diene polymer, Mn is a number average molecular weight of the conjugated diene polymer, and the Z-average molecular weight and the number average molecular weight are values in terms of polystyrene by gel permeation chromatography.

The present disclosure provides copolymers comprising from about 0.5 wt % to about 25 wt % cyclic olefin content and films comprising the copolymers. In one embodiment, a copolymer includes a C.sub.2-C.sub.40 monomer content of from about 75 wt % to about 99.5 wt %; and a C.sub.5-C.sub.40 cyclic olefin comonomer content of from about 0.5 wt % to about 25 wt %. The copolymer has a density of about 0.91 g/cm.sup.3 to about 0.933 g/cm.sup.3. Films of the present disclosure can have advantageous mechanical properties (such as melt strength) and optical properties (such as haze %).

Cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) is useful as a build material for 3D printing, especially desktop 3D printing. Low haze and high transmission versions are a function of specific grades of styrenic block copolymer (SBC) used for impact modification.