Benzocyclobutenes as crosslinking agents in synthetic polyolefins

4-Allylbenzocyclobutene was synthesized and copolymerized with 1-hexene and a non-conjugated diene, and the resulting terpolymer was cured thermally, under pressure, in the presence of carbon black. Mechanical properties of the crosslinked polymer containing allylbenzocyclobutene with two different dienes (5-methyl-1,4-hexadiene and 7-methyl-1,6-octadiene) were studied and are presented. Similar properties of a standard sulfurcured polymer composed of 1-hexene and the two dienes were measured for comparison.