DCPD resin is a pale-yellow, thermoplastic cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon resin made by polymerizing dicyclopentadiene-rich feedstock. Also called DCPD petroleum resin or dicyclopentadiene resin, it is selected for wetting, adhesion, compatibility and heat-related formulation control in inks, coatings and adhesives, and as a precursor to water-white hydrogenated resin.
What is DCPD resin?
Dicyclopentadiene, abbreviated DCPD, is a C10 cyclic diene formed from two cyclopentadiene molecules. Industrial cyclopentadiene is recovered from the C5 fraction of steam-cracker pyrolysis gasoline and converted to DCPD.1 Polymerization produces a low-molecular-weight, glassy hydrocarbon resin.
DCPD resin, DCPD petroleum resin, DCPD hydrocarbon resin and dicyclopentadiene resin normally mean this solid thermoplastic tackifier, binder or modifier. Feed purity, comonomers and processing determine color, molecular-weight distribution, solubility and compatibility. DCPD oligomer processes specifically target inks, adhesives and coatings.2
Buyers should specify the base polymer, process temperature, softening point, color limit and end-use target—not only “DCPD.” See the broader hydrocarbon resin guide.
How is DCPD resin related to C5 resin?
DCPD has a C5-stream origin, but it is not simply another name for conventional C5 petroleum resin. Cyclopentadiene in the cracker’s C5 stream dimerizes into the C10 molecule DCPD. A standard C5 resin, by contrast, is usually based mainly on piperylene and related aliphatic C5 components.
| Selection point | DCPD petroleum resin | Conventional C5 petroleum resin |
|---|---|---|
| Feedstock route | DCPD derived from cyclopentadiene in the C5 stream | Mixed aliphatic C5 stream, commonly piperylene-rich |
| General structure | Cyclic/cycloaliphatic and unsaturated | Predominantly aliphatic |
| Common screening reason | Softening point, wetting, film behavior, adhesion and modification | Tack, peel and compatibility with nonpolar elastomers |
| Typical starting applications | Inks, coatings, adhesives, rubber and specialty modification | Hot melts, PSAs, rubber and road marking |
| Hydrogenation route | Important precursor family for water-white cycloaliphatic resin | C5 resins can also be hydrogenated |
These are tendencies, not guarantees. DCPD and C5 grades overlap, and modified or hydrogenated versions may behave differently. Compare candidates in the same formulation for compatibility, viscosity, color, tack, peel, cohesion and aging.
Typical DCPD petroleum resin properties
Public commercial data for standard DCPD-100 grades show ring-and-ball softening points around 95–108°C, Gardner colors from about 4 to 11, low acid values and specific gravity near 1.0–1.1.34 The following table is a sourcing screen, not an MR-D100 or MR-D110 sales specification.
Typical values — general unhydrogenated DCPD petroleum resin
| Property | Typical value or range | Common method |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Pale-yellow granules or flakes | Visual |
| Softening point, ring-and-ball | 95–115°C | ASTM E28 |
| Gardner color | About 4–11, depending on solution basis | ASTM D1544 |
| Acid value | ≤1.0 mg KOH/g | ASTM D974 |
| Bromine number | Common standard grades ≤45 g Br₂/100 g; grade-dependent | ASTM D1159 |
| Specific gravity at 20/20°C | About 1.00–1.10 | ASTM D71 |
| Ash | Commonly ≤0.1% | Supplier method |
| Water solubility | Insoluble | Supplier method |
Compare test conditions. Gardner color may use a 50% solution or another ratio. Bromine number depends strongly on resin chemistry and method, so a higher-unsaturation grade needs its own agreed limit. Softening point is not a true melting point; hydrocarbon resin softens over a range.
Where is DCPD resin used?
Unsaturated polyester resin modification
The phrase “DCPD resin for UPR” requires clarification. DCPD-modified unsaturated polyester is normally synthesized with DCPD monomer. Industry guidance links that chemistry to lower viscosity, better fiber wetting, higher filler loading and lower cure shrinkage.5 Those benefits do not automatically follow from adding solid petroleum resin.
Solid DCPD resin can be evaluated as a compatible modifier, but it is not a drop-in monomer substitute. Specify solid hydrocarbon resin, DCPD monomer, or finished DCPD UPR.
Printing inks
DCPD resin can tune pigment wetting, film formation, gloss and drying balance in selected printing-ink systems. Check compatibility with the complete oil, solvent, binder and pigment package.
Paints and coatings
In coatings, DCPD resin is screened for adhesion, wetting, leveling, water resistance and binder modification. Alkyd, epoxy and polyester compatibility depends on the solvent and resin chemistry; run a solution test, drawdown and cured-film evaluation.
Hot-melt adhesives
DCPD resin can be the tackifier or resin component, not normally the base polymer. Commercial grades report compatibility with EVA and styrenic block copolymers.3 Test viscosity, cloud point, open time, tack, peel, shear and aging in the full hot-melt formulation.
Feedstock for water-white hydrogenated resin
Hydrogenation reduces unsaturation and color bodies, producing water-white or near-water-white DCPD-based resin with better color and thermal stability. Public data show Gardner 0 and 100–115°C softening-point classes.6 For low color, odor or aging requirements, evaluate a finished hydrogenated resin.
Milorez DCPD grades
Milorez supplies two DCPD selection points through reviewed Chinese production partners as a transparent export trading supplier.
Typical values — grade-selection starting points
| Grade | Nominal softening-point class | Suggested first screen | Grade page |
|---|---|---|---|
| MR-D100 | 100°C | General DCPD resin evaluation where balanced flow and softening behavior are required | MR-D100 details |
| MR-D110 | 110°C | Formulations beginning with a higher softening-point target | MR-D110 details |
The nominal class is not a complete specification. Agree the current TDS limits and methods for softening point, color, acid value, bromine number, ash and melt viscosity.
DCPD monomer vs DCPD resin
Confusing these products can create a serious technical and shipping error.
| Product | Physical and chemical role | Typical transport distinction |
|---|---|---|
| DCPD monomer | Reactive C10 feedstock used to manufacture resins and other polymers | A representative monomer SDS lists UN 2048, Class 3, Packing Group III7 |
| DCPD petroleum resin | Finished solid thermoplastic oligomer supplied as granules or flakes | Generally non-regulated as finished solid resin; confirm the grade SDS8 |
| DCPD-modified UPR solution | Liquid thermosetting polyester formulation, commonly containing styrene | May be UN 1866, Resin Solution, Class 3, Packing Group III9 |
“Non-dangerous goods” applies only to the finished solid grade under its SDS—not monomer, molten resin, powder dust conditions or solvent-containing solutions. Check SDS Section 14 before booking freight.
Buying DCPD resin from China
For comparable offers, send every supplier the same requirement:
- end use and complete binder or polymer system;
- target softening point and test method;
- maximum color, acid value and bromine-number requirement;
- process temperature and any melt-viscosity condition;
- expected annual volume, destination port and requested Incoterm; and
- current resin, test recipe and pass/fail criteria, if available.
DCPD resin price changes with feedstock, grade, limits, quantity, packing, shipment timing and freight basis. Use the price guide for context, then request a grade-specific quote.
Milorez’s commercial MOQ is 1 × 20’ FCL, with FOB Xiamen or FOB Qingdao terms. A free sample is available for formulation evaluation. Packing and payload are confirmed in the quotation rather than inferred from another producer’s data sheet.
Request a DCPD resin sample and quotation
Send your application, specification, benchmark, annual demand and port. Milorez can help screen MR-D100 or MR-D110 and arrange a free sample. Request a sample or request an FCL quote.
Frequently asked questions
What is DCPD resin?
A solid thermoplastic hydrocarbon resin made mainly from polymerized DCPD-rich feedstock and used as a tackifier, binder or modifier.
How is DCPD resin different from C5 resin?
Both trace to a C5 stream, but conventional C5 resin is generally piperylene-rich and aliphatic; DCPD resin is cyclic and cycloaliphatic. Select by formulation results.
How much does DCPD resin cost?
Price depends on grade, specification, volume, packing, date, port and freight basis. Provide these details for a current FOB Xiamen or Qingdao quote.
Is DCPD petroleum resin dangerous goods?
Solid DCPD resin is generally non-regulated, subject to its SDS. Monomer is UN 2048, Class 3, Packing Group III; DCPD UPR solutions may be UN 1866.
Is DCPD monomer the same as DCPD petroleum resin?
No. Monomer is the reactive feedstock; petroleum resin is the solid oligomer. DCPD-modified polyester is a separate liquid thermosetting product.
Which Milorez grade should I test?
Start with MR-D100 for a nominal 100°C class or MR-D110 for 110°C, then validate compatibility and performance in your recipe.
Sources
Footnotes
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ORLEN Unipetrol and University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, New Technology for Production of Dicyclopentadiene and Methyl-Dicyclopentadiene, Polymers (2022). ↩
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Arizona Chemical Company, Thermal polymerization of dicyclopentadiene, US Patent 5,691,432. ↩
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WEITACK, MD100 DCPD Resin technical data sheet. ↩ ↩2
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Lesco Chemical, LESTAC DCPD100 technical product data. ↩
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AOC, DCPD solutions for unsaturated polyester formulations. ↩
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WEITACK, MDH100 Hydrogenated DCPD Resin technical data sheet. ↩
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NOVA Chemicals, Dicyclopentadiene Safety Data Sheet. ↩
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Kolon Industries, Bitoner Hydrogenated Hydrocarbon Resin Safety Data Sheet. ↩
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Laffan Resin Production Factory, Unsaturated DCPD Polyester Resin Safety Data Sheet. ↩
Frequently asked questions
What is DCPD resin?
DCPD resin is a low-molecular-weight thermoplastic hydrocarbon resin made mainly by polymerizing dicyclopentadiene-rich feedstock. It is commonly supplied as pale-yellow granules or flakes for inks, coatings, adhesives and other industrial formulations.
What is the difference between DCPD resin and C5 resin?
DCPD originates from cyclopentadiene in a C5 cracking stream, but DCPD resin has a more cyclic, cycloaliphatic structure than conventional piperylene-based C5 resin. C5 is often the first choice for tack in nonpolar elastomers; DCPD is often screened for softening point, wetting, adhesion and modification behavior.
What determines DCPD resin price?
DCPD resin price depends on feedstock cost, softening-point grade, color and bromine limits, order volume, packing, palletization, shipment date and freight basis. A current quotation should name the grade, specification, quantity and destination.
Is DCPD petroleum resin dangerous goods?
Finished solid DCPD petroleum resin is generally shipped as non-regulated cargo, subject to the exact grade SDS and route. DCPD monomer is different: representative SDS documents classify it as UN 2048, Class 3, Packing Group III. Styrene-containing DCPD polyester resin solutions may be UN 1866.
Are DCPD monomer and DCPD resin the same product?
No. DCPD monomer is the reactive C10 feedstock. DCPD petroleum resin is the solid thermoplastic oligomer made by polymerizing that feedstock. DCPD-modified unsaturated polyester is a separate liquid thermosetting formulation.
Should I choose MR-D100 or MR-D110?
Start with MR-D100 for a nominal 100°C softening-point class and MR-D110 when the formulation calls for a nominal 110°C class. Confirm color, acid value, bromine number, viscosity and compatibility in the current TDS and in your own formulation trial.