Poly(cyclohexadiene) homopolymer based compositions and uses thereof

A method for producing a polymer composition, the method consists essentially of:

• providing a 1,3-cyclohexadiene monomer feedstock;
• providing a catalyst suitable for cationic polymerization, wherein the catalyst consists of is a Lewis acid catalyst selected from the group consisting of AlCl3, SnCl4, B(C6F2)3, BF3 and complexes thereof with Lewis bases;
• methylalumoxane, metallocene halides and combinations thereof with methylalumoxane;
• and combinations thereof;
• polymerizing the 1,3-cyclohexadiene monomer feedstock in a cationic polymerization reaction in the presence of the Lewis acid catalyst, in a hydrocarbon solvent, and at a temperature of −100° C. to 120° C., to form the polymer composition;
• and
• isolating the polymer composition;
• wherein the polymer composition contains at least 0.1 wt. % of phenyl groups as measured by proton NMR;
• and
• wherein the polymer composition has:
• a number average molecular weight of 300-5,000 Dalton,
• a weight average molecular weight of 5000-15,000 Dalton, and
• a polydispersity index of 3.0 to 8.0;
• and
• a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 140-220° C.