Dicyclopentadiene

Dicyclopentadiene, abbreviated DCPD, is a <a href="/facts/Chemical_compound/37FXqqtv">chemical compound</a> with formula C10H12. At room temperature, it is a white brittle wax, although lower purity samples can be straw coloured liquids. The pure material smells somewhat of soy wax or <a href="/facts/Camphor/53KvP2Rw">camphor</a>, with less pure samples possessing a stronger acrid odor. Its <a href="/facts/Energy_density/mwBXA7bC">energy density</a> is 10,975 <a href="/facts/Watt-hour/qvVkEmPH">Wh</a>/l.
Dicyclopentadiene is a co-produced in large quantities in the steam cracking of <a href="/facts/Naphtha/DpzLNMey">naphtha</a> and <a href="/facts/Gas_oil/lm71xc19">gas oils</a> to <a href="/facts/Ethylene/QMNBYLYn">ethylene</a>. The major use is in <a href="/facts/Resin/r1uVThQ8">resins</a>, particularly, unsaturated polyester resins. It is also used in inks, adhesives, and paints.
The top seven suppliers worldwide together had an annual capacity in 2001 of 179 kilotonnes (395 million pounds).
DCPD was discovered in 1885 as a C10H12 hydrocarbon among the products of <a href="/facts/Pyrolysis/h1cEegI7">pyrolysis</a> of <a href="/facts/Phenol/ACJs5NIU">phenol</a> by <a href="/facts/Henry_Roscoe_(chemist)/sj0mfCbv">Henry Roscoe</a>, who didn't identify the structure (that was made during the following decade) but accurately assumed that it was a <a href="/facts/Dimer_(chemistry)/mU64PnEq">dimer</a> of some C5H6 hydrocarbon.

Dicyclopentadiene open-in-new

Dicyclopentadiene