Cyclic Olefin Copolymers as Versatile Materials for Advanced Engineering Applications

Cyclic Olefin Copolymers (COCs) constitute a class of thermoplastics that has garnered substantial interest in the scientific community since its debut in the 1950s and subsequent commercialization in the 1980s through the Ziegler-Natta catalysis process. The success of this polymeric class is attributed to its remarkable physico-chemical and mechanical properties, such as glass-like transparency, low density, and high tensile modulus and elongation at break. These qualities render COCs suitable for several different applications, spanning from the structural domain, where they may also exhibit self-healing properties, to the fields of bioengineering and electronics, for making advanced sensing systems or as constitutive materials for microfluidic devices. This review paper seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of COCs, from their chemical synthesis and engineering technology, and progressing toward their latest engineering applications. The goal is to underscore the versatility of COCs in comparison to other polymeric materials, while also addressing current limitations. in conclusion, future trends in the utilization of COCs in engineering will be shown, together with an analysis of their impact and sustainability within the global context of the circular economy.