Cyclic olefin copolymer COC

spore: profile
id: coc
spore_version: 0.2
family: polyolefins
name: Cyclic olefin copolymer
abbreviation: COC
role: amorphous, transparent thermoplastic for optics, packaging and moulded parts (Zeon COP grades included for comparison)
category: polymers
type: polyolefins
summary: |
  Cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) is an amorphous, clear thermoplastic made from ethylene and norbornene, a cyclic olefin. The TOPAS 5013S-04 grade has a density of 1020 kg/m3 and a glass transition of 134 °C, while the lower-Tg TOPAS 8007S-04 grade (78 °C, density 1010 kg/m3) is sold as a moisture-barrier grade. Zeon's cyclic olefin polymer (COP) grades, ZEONEX and ZEONOR, are included for comparison and span glass transitions from 68 °C to 162 °C. No atomic-oxygen, outgassing or flight result for COC or COP was found; the sources are manufacturer datasheets, safety data sheets and a 2025 gamma-irradiation study.
best_for: Clear, moulded optical and medical parts where low moisture uptake matters (91 % light transmission for TOPAS 8007S-04 and 92 % for ZEONEX 5000)
weakest_at: 'Heat: the low-Tg TOPAS 8007S-04 grade deflects at 75 °C under 0.45 MPa, and no space exposure data were found'
identity:
  formula: Ethylene-norbornene copolymer, (C2H4)x(C7H10)y, amorphous
  cas: 26007-43-2
  source: topas-sds-eu
  where: 'Section 3 (Composition): contains ethylene-norbornene copolymer (CAS 26007-43-2)'
tags:
  environments: []
  stresses:
    - total-radiation-dose
  applications:
    - optics-and-cameras
    - electronics-and-chips
properties:
  - benchmark: density
    label: Density, TOPAS 5013S-04
    value: 1020
    unit: kg/m3
    scope: material
    conditions:
      grade: TOPAS 5013S-04, injection moulding grade
      test_standard: ISO 1183
    method: Manufacturer datasheet value, ISO 1183, printed in kg/m3
    status: ground
    source: topas-5013s
    where: Physical Properties table
  - benchmark: glass_transition_temperature
    label: Glass transition temperature, TOPAS 5013S-04
    value: 134
    unit: °C
    scope: material
    conditions:
      grade: TOPAS 5013S-04
      test_standard: ISO 11357-1,-2
      heating_rate: 20 °C/min
    method: Manufacturer datasheet value, DSC per ISO 11357
    status: ground
    source: topas-5013s
    where: Thermal Properties table, row Glass transition temperature (20°C/min)
  - benchmark: heat_deflection_temperature
    label: Heat deflection temperature, TOPAS 5013S-04
    value: 127
    unit: °C
    scope: material
    conditions:
      grade: TOPAS 5013S-04
      test_standard: ISO 75-1, -2
      load: 0.45 MPa
    method: Manufacturer datasheet value, ISO 75 flatwise method at 0.45 MPa
    status: ground
    source: topas-5013s
    where: Thermal Properties table, row DTUL @ 0.45 MPa
  - benchmark: vicat_softening_temperature
    label: Vicat softening temperature, TOPAS 5013S-04
    value: 133
    unit: °C
    scope: material
    conditions:
      grade: TOPAS 5013S-04
      test_standard: ISO 306
      method_code: B50, 50 °C/h, 50 N
    method: Manufacturer datasheet value, ISO 306 Vicat B50
    status: ground
    source: topas-5013s
    where: Thermal Properties table, row Vicat softening temperature B50
  - benchmark: elastic_modulus
    label: Tensile modulus, TOPAS 5013S-04
    value: 3200
    unit: MPa
    scope: material
    conditions:
      grade: TOPAS 5013S-04
      test_standard: ISO 527-3
      test_speed: 1 mm/min
    method: Manufacturer datasheet value, ISO 527-3 tensile test
    status: ground
    source: topas-5013s
    where: Mechanical Properties table, row Tensile modulus (1mm/min)
  - benchmark: ultimate_tensile_strength
    label: Tensile stress at break, TOPAS 5013S-04
    value: 46
    unit: MPa
    scope: material
    conditions:
      grade: TOPAS 5013S-04
      test_standard: ISO 527-3
      test_speed: 5 mm/min
    method: Manufacturer datasheet value, ISO 527-3 tensile test at 5 mm/min
    status: ground
    source: topas-5013s
    where: Mechanical Properties table, row Tensile stress at break (5mm/min)
  - benchmark: melt_volume_rate
    label: Melt volume rate, TOPAS 5013S-04
    value: 48
    unit: cm3/10min
    scope: material
    conditions:
      grade: TOPAS 5013S-04
      test_standard: ISO 1133
      temperature: 260 °C
      load: 2.16 kg
    method: Manufacturer datasheet value, ISO 1133 melt volume-flow rate
    status: ground
    source: topas-5013s
    where: Physical Properties table, row Melt volume rate (MVR) (260°C, 2.16kg)
  - benchmark: charpy_impact_unnotched
    label: Charpy impact strength, unnotched, TOPAS 5013S-04
    value: 13
    unit: KJ/m²
    scope: material
    conditions:
      grade: TOPAS 5013S-04
      test_standard: ISO 179/1eU
      temperature: 23 °C
    method: Manufacturer datasheet value, ISO 179 unnotched Charpy at 23 °C
    status: ground
    source: topas-5013s
    where: Mechanical Properties table, row Charpy impact strength @ 23°C
  - benchmark: density
    label: Density, TOPAS 8007S-04
    value: 1010
    unit: kg/m3
    scope: material
    conditions:
      grade: TOPAS 8007S-04, injection moulding moisture-barrier grade
      test_standard: ISO 1183
    method: Manufacturer datasheet value, ISO 1183, printed in kg/m3
    status: ground
    source: topas-8007s
    where: Physical Properties table
  - benchmark: glass_transition_temperature
    label: Glass transition temperature, TOPAS 8007S-04
    value: 78
    unit: °C
    scope: material
    conditions:
      grade: TOPAS 8007S-04
      test_standard: ISO 11357-1,-2
      heating_rate: 20 °C/min
    method: Manufacturer datasheet value, DSC per ISO 11357
    status: ground
    source: topas-8007s
    where: Thermal Properties table, row Glass transition temperature (20°C/min)
  - benchmark: heat_deflection_temperature
    label: Heat deflection temperature, TOPAS 8007S-04
    value: 75
    unit: °C
    scope: material
    conditions:
      grade: TOPAS 8007S-04
      test_standard: ISO 75-1, -2
      load: 0.45 MPa
    method: Manufacturer datasheet value, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa
    status: ground
    source: topas-8007s
    where: Thermal Properties table, row DTUL @ 0.45 MPa
  - benchmark: vicat_softening_temperature
    label: Vicat softening temperature, TOPAS 8007S-04
    value: 80
    unit: °C
    scope: material
    conditions:
      grade: TOPAS 8007S-04
      test_standard: ISO 306
      method_code: B50, 50 °C/h, 50 N
    method: Manufacturer datasheet value, ISO 306 Vicat B50
    status: ground
    source: topas-8007s
    where: Thermal Properties table, row Vicat softening temperature B50
  - benchmark: elastic_modulus
    label: Tensile modulus, TOPAS 8007S-04
    value: 2600
    unit: MPa
    scope: material
    conditions:
      grade: TOPAS 8007S-04
      test_standard: ISO 527-2/1A
      test_speed: 1 mm/min
    method: Manufacturer datasheet value, ISO 527-2 tensile test
    status: ground
    source: topas-8007s
    where: Mechanical Properties table, row Tensile modulus (1mm/min)
  - benchmark: light_transmittance
    label: Light transmission, TOPAS 8007S-04
    value: 91
    unit: '%'
    scope: material
    conditions:
      grade: TOPAS 8007S-04
      test_standard: ISO 13468-1
      thickness: 2 mm
    method: Manufacturer datasheet value, ISO 13468-1 total light transmission
    status: ground
    source: topas-8007s
    where: Optical Properties table, row Deg. of light transmission (t=2mm)
  - benchmark: glass_transition_temperature
    label: Glass transition temperature, ZEONEX 5000 (COP)
    value: 68
    unit: °C
    scope: material
    conditions:
      grade: ZEONEX 5000, medical grade cyclic olefin polymer
      test_method: Zeon method (as printed)
    method: Manufacturer medical-grade table, Zeon method
    status: ground
    source: zeon-cop-2019
    where: ZEONEX Medical Grades table, row Glass Transition Temperature (Zeon Method)
  - benchmark: glass_transition_temperature
    label: Glass transition temperature, ZEONOR 1020R (COP)
    value: 102
    unit: °C
    scope: material
    conditions:
      grade: ZEONOR 1020R, medical grade cyclic olefin polymer
      test_method: Zeon method (as printed)
    method: Manufacturer medical-grade table, Zeon method
    status: ground
    source: zeon-cop-2019
    where: ZEONEX Medical Grades table, row Glass Transition Temperature (Zeon Method)
  - benchmark: glass_transition_temperature
    label: Glass transition temperature, ZEONEX 690R (COP)
    value: 136
    unit: °C
    scope: material
    conditions:
      grade: ZEONEX 690R, medical grade cyclic olefin polymer
      test_method: Zeon method (as printed)
    method: Manufacturer medical-grade table, Zeon method
    status: ground
    source: zeon-cop-2019
    where: ZEONEX Medical Grades table, row Glass Transition Temperature (Zeon Method)
  - benchmark: glass_transition_temperature
    label: Glass transition temperature, ZEONEX 790R (COP)
    value: 162
    unit: °C
    scope: material
    conditions:
      grade: ZEONEX 790R, medical grade cyclic olefin polymer
      test_method: Zeon method (as printed)
    method: Manufacturer medical-grade table, Zeon method
    status: ground
    source: zeon-cop-2019
    where: ZEONEX Medical Grades table, row Glass Transition Temperature (Zeon Method)
  - benchmark: light_transmittance
    label: Light transmittance, ZEONEX 5000 (COP)
    value: 92
    unit: '%'
    scope: material
    conditions:
      grade: ZEONEX 5000
      thickness: 3 mm
      test_method: Zeon method (as printed)
    method: Manufacturer medical-grade table, Zeon method
    status: ground
    source: zeon-cop-2019
    where: ZEONEX Medical Grades table, row Light transmittance (3mmt)
  - benchmark: elongation
    label: Elongation at break, ZEONEX 5000 (COP)
    value: 120
    unit: '%'
    scope: material
    conditions:
      grade: ZEONEX 5000
      test_standard: ISO 527
      temperature: 23 °C
    method: Manufacturer medical-grade table, ISO 527 at 23 °C
    status: ground
    source: zeon-cop-2019
    where: ZEONEX Medical Grades table, row Elongation at break (23°C)
  - benchmark: elongation
    label: Elongation at break, ZEONOR 1020R (COP)
    value: 90
    unit: '%'
    scope: material
    conditions:
      grade: ZEONOR 1020R
      test_standard: ISO 527
      temperature: 23 °C
    method: Manufacturer medical-grade table, ISO 527 at 23 °C
    status: ground
    source: zeon-cop-2019
    where: ZEONEX Medical Grades table, row Elongation at break (23°C)
  - benchmark: water_vapour_transmission_rate
    label: Water vapour transmission rate, ZEONEX 5000 (COP)
    value: 0.8
    unit: g/(m2·24h)
    scope: material
    conditions:
      grade: ZEONEX 5000
      test_standard: JIS K7129
      temperature: 40 °C
      humidity: 90 % RH
      thickness: 100 µm
    method: Manufacturer medical-grade table, JIS K7129 at 40 °C and 90 % RH on 100 µm film
    status: ground
    source: zeon-cop-2019
    where: 'ZEONEX Medical Grades table, row WVTR (footnote: 40 °C, 90 % RH, 100 µm)'
corrosion:
  - environment: Humid air and water vapour (85 % RH, 23 °C)
    headline: TOPAS 8007S-04 is sold as a moisture-barrier grade, with a printed water vapour permeability value.
    effect: The datasheet gives water vapour permeability of 0,025 g×mm/(m²×day) at 23 °C and 85 % RH (DIN 53122). This is a barrier property of the film, not a change in the material with exposure, and the sheet prints no humidity-ageing test.
    rating: low
    conditions:
      humidity: 85 % RH
      temperature: 23 °C
      standard: DIN 53122 (as printed)
    source: topas-8007s
    where: Physical Properties table, row Water vapor permeability
  - environment: Ultraviolet light and direct sunlight
    headline: No UV-ageing result was read for COC; the safety sheet advises storage away from UV light.
    effect: No retention of tensile strength, elongation or colour after UV exposure was found in a source that could be opened. The US safety data sheet says to store the product away from direct sunlight or ultraviolet light.
    rating: unknown
    conditions:
      basis: no UV test result read; storage advice only
    source: topas-sds-us
    where: Section 7 (Handling and storage)
  - environment: UV-transparent grade used for assay plates and cuvettes (TOPAS 8007X10)
    headline: TOPAS 8007X10 is made for high UV transmission, which is a transmission property, not UV stability.
    effect: The 8007X10 datasheet describes an injection-moulding grade with superior transparency in the UV range, for DNA analytics with microtiter plates or cuvettes. It prints no UV-ageing or retention data.
    rating: unknown
    conditions:
      basis: application statement and property sheet only; no exposure test
    source: topas-8007x10
    where: Title and application text at top of the datasheet
  - environment: Gamma radiation, 25 and 100 kGy in air at room temperature
    headline: Gamma doses change the microstructure of TOPAS 8007 and 5013 samples. No mechanical test was reported.
    effect: For the 35 mol% norbornene sample (TOPAS 8007 reference), the radius of gyration fell from 10.9 nm before irradiation to 10.0 nm at 25 kGy and 9.9 nm at 100 kGy. The authors report that free radicals form and entanglements change, and they measured the microstructure by NMR and SAXS only.
    rating: unknown
    conditions:
      dose: 25 and 100 kGy
      dose_rate: 2 kGy/h
      atmosphere: air
      temperature: room temperature
      source_isotope: 60Co
    source: gamma-coc-2025
    where: Table 4 (internal structural parameters before and after irradiation) and Abstract
  - environment: Acids, alkalis, alcohols and organic solvents (COP grades)
    headline: Zeon states that ZEONEX has good resistance to acids, alkalis and alcohols, and high resistance to organic solvents. This is a manufacturer statement about COP grades, not a test table.
    effect: The Zeon brochure describes the chemical inertness of ZEONEX for drug compatibility. No chemical-resistance test table was read for the TOPAS COC grades, so their solvent behaviour is not recorded here.
    rating: low
    conditions:
      basis: manufacturer statement for ZEONEX (COP) medical grades; no test conditions printed
    source: zeon-cop-2019
    where: Introduction text, Drug Compatibility (Chemical Inertness and Resistance)
risks:
  hazards:
    - text: 'EU safety data sheet: based on present data, no classification and labelling is required under the CLP Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008.'
      ghs: []
      source: topas-sds-eu
      where: Sections 2.1 and 2.2
    - text: 'US safety data sheet, version 10: not classified based on available information, and label elements are not required.'
      ghs: []
      source: topas-sds-us
      where: Section 2
    - text: Contact with hot or molten product can cause thermal burns. If polymer sticks to skin, do not pull it off; cool the skin and let it come off naturally.
      ghs: []
      source: topas-sds-eu
      where: Sections 2.3 and 4.1
    - text: Dust can form an explosive mixture in air. Dust must not build up on floors and ledges.
      ghs: []
      source: topas-sds-eu
      where: Section 7.2
    - text: The US sheet prints inert-dust exposure limits of 5 mg/m3 for the respirable fraction and 15 mg/m3 for total dust.
      ghs: []
      source: topas-sds-us
      where: Section 8 (exposure limits)
  failure_risks:
    - mode: Softening under load above the heat deflection temperature
      trigger: Sustained load of 0.45 MPa at elevated temperature
      consequence: TOPAS 8007S-04 deflects at 75 °C under 0.45 MPa, with a Vicat softening temperature of 80 °C. The higher-Tg TOPAS 5013S-04 gives 127 °C and 133 °C for the same tests.
      severity: moderate
      source: topas-8007s
      where: Thermal Properties table
    - mode: Microstructure change from gamma radiation
      trigger: Gamma dose of 25 to 100 kGy in air at room temperature
      consequence: Radius of gyration in the 35 mol% norbornene sample fell from 10.9 nm to 9.9 nm at 100 kGy. The study measured microstructure only, so the effect on strength is unknown.
      severity: low
      source: gamma-coc-2025
      where: Table 4 and Abstract
    - mode: Decomposition from overheating
      trigger: Processing or storage above 350 °C
      consequence: The US sheet warns of a risk of decomposition above 350 °C. Decomposition products depend on temperature and air supply.
      severity: moderate
      source: topas-sds-us
      where: Section 10 (Stability and reactivity)
  side_effects:
    - text: In a fire, incomplete combustion can give carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. The sheet says combustion gases of organic materials must be treated as inhalation hazards.
      affects: Firefighters and people near the fire
      source: topas-sds-eu
      where: Section 5.2
    - text: The product is not readily biodegradable. It should not be released to the environment or flushed into surface water or sewers.
      affects: Surface water and sewer systems
      source: topas-sds-eu
      where: Section 6.2
  handling:
    - text: Do not handle hot or molten material without suitable protective equipment, and do not exceed the recommended process temperature, to limit decomposition products.
      source: topas-sds-eu
      where: Section 7.1
    - text: Store indoors in closed containers in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight or ultraviolet light.
      source: topas-sds-us
      where: Section 7
    - text: Avoid temperatures above 350 °C, which carry a risk of decomposition.
      source: topas-sds-us
      where: Section 10
    - text: Avoid dust formation and provide exhaust ventilation where dust is formed. Wear a dust mask or respirator with a particle filter if the dust exposure limit is exceeded.
      source: topas-sds-us
      where: Section 8
    - text: Ground and bond containers when transferring material, and take measures against static charge build-up.
      source: topas-sds-us
      where: Section 7
  mitigations:
    - text: For moisture-sensitive packaging, the TOPAS 8007S-04 grade is sold as a high moisture-barrier grade for pharmaceutical packaging.
      source: topas-8007s
      where: Title and introduction text
    - text: Where more heat margin is needed than the TOPAS COC grades give, the ZEONEX 790R COP grade has a glass transition of 162 °C against 134 °C for TOPAS 5013S-04.
      source: zeon-cop-2019
      where: ZEONEX Medical Grades table, row Glass Transition Temperature
uses:
  - application: optics-and-cameras
    device: Injection-moulded optical parts
    example: TOPAS 5013S-04 is described by the manufacturer as 'specially manufactured for optical applications', with high flowability and high transparency. The datasheet gives 91,4 % light transmission at 2 mm (comma decimal as printed, not recorded in the numeric fields).
    source: topas-5013s
    where: Product description at top of the datasheet; Optical Properties table
  - application: electronics-and-chips
    device: Insulating moulded parts (low-permittivity dielectric)
    example: No device is named. The datasheet prints a relative permittivity of 2,35 at 1 to 10 kHz and calls the material a very good insulator in its electrical table, which is why this use is listed. It is an inference from a property, not a stated application.
    source: topas-5013s
    where: Electrical Properties table
supply:
  - subject: Ethylene and norbornene (feedstocks)
    abundance: Not a mineral; no crustal abundance or producer-share figure for ethylene or norbornene was read in this run.
    producers: []
    critical_lists: []
    recycling: 'Safety data sheet: like most thermoplastics, the product can be recycled; dispose of it in accordance with local regulations.'
    substitutes: []
    source: topas-sds-eu
    where: Sections 6.3 and 13
  - subject: COC and COP resin producers
    abundance: 'Named in Wikipedia: TOPAS Advanced Polymers (Polyplastics subsidiary; the 2026 US sheet lists Daicel HPP USA as supplier), Mitsui Chemicals (APEL), Japan Synthetic Rubber (ARTON) and Zeon (ZEONEX, ZEONOR). No production share by country was found.'
    producers: []
    critical_lists: []
    substitutes: []
    source: wiki-coc
    where: Various types and Production routes sections
documents:
  - title: TOPAS 5013S-04 technical data sheet (metric units), rev. 30.09.2024
    type: datasheet
    url: https://topas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/TDS-5013S-04_e.pdf
    year: 2024
  - title: TOPAS 8007S-04 technical data sheet (metric units), rev. 30.09.2024
    type: datasheet
    url: https://topas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/TDS-8007S-04_e.pdf
    year: 2024
  - title: TOPAS Cyclic Olefin Copolymers safety data sheet TP01, version 9 (EU)
    type: sds
    url: https://topas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/TP01-TPEU-EN-V9.00_2.pdf
    year: 2023
  - title: TOPAS Cyclic Olefin Copolymers safety data sheet TP01, version 10 (US), revision 11.07.2026
    type: sds
    url: https://topas.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/TP01-US-EN-V10.00.pdf
    year: 2026
  - title: ZEONEX and ZEONOR medical grades brochure (Zeon Corporation), 1019005(SE), Oct. 2019
    type: datasheet
    url: https://www.zeon.co.jp/cn/business/enterprise/pdf/200324217.pdf
    year: 2019
  - title: Gamma Irradiation-Induced Changes in Microstructure of Cyclic Olefin Copolymer (COC) Revealed by NMR and SAXS Characterization (Polymers 17, 1751, open access)
    type: paper
    url: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12251773/
    year: 2025
  - title: TOPAS 8007X10 technical data sheet (UV-transparent injection moulding grade)
    type: datasheet
    url: https://topas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/TDS-8007X10_e.pdf
    year: 2023
gaps:
  - 'No space test for COC or COP was found: no atomic-oxygen erosion yield, no NASA outgassing entry (total mass loss or CVCM) and no flight result. A NASA outgassing database search returned no TOPAS or COC entry.'
  - 'UV ageing: the 2017 photodegradation study of ethylene-norbornene and ethylene-tetracyclododecene films (340 nm, 30 days; Int. J. Polym. Sci., DOI 10.1155/2017/1870814) could not be opened from the sources tried (publisher and DOAJ pages blocked or abstract only). No retention figure is recorded.'
  - Heat ageing and long-term service temperature were not found in a source that could be opened. The Springer review of ethylene-norbornene ageing (J. Mater. Sci., DOI 10.1007/s10853-017-0925-9) is paywalled in this run.
  - 'Decimal values printed with a comma on the TOPAS sheets are not recorded in the numeric fields: refractive index (1,533 for 5013S-04 and 1,53 for 8007S-04), water absorption (0,01 %), relative permittivity used as a property (2,35), light transmission at 2 mm for 5013S-04 (91,4 %), elongation at break and yield stress for TOPAS grades (1,7 % and 63,0 MPa) and water vapour permeability for 8007S-04 (0,025). They were read but cannot be matched by the dot-decimal source check, so they are left for a manual check.'
  - The melt volume rate of TOPAS 8007S-04 (32 cm3/10min) is printed without test conditions and is not recorded. The TOPAS 8007X10 sheet (UV-transparent grade) was read but adds no numeric value that passes the check.
  - 'Electronics use: the TOPAS 5013S-04 datasheet gives electrical properties but names no device, so the electronics entry is an inference from a property.'
  - 'Supply: no USGS, EU or country-share data for ethylene, norbornene or COC resin was found.'
  - No openly licensed image of a COC pellet, film or part was read, so no media entry is included.
  - Hazard data rest on the two TOPAS safety data sheets (EU version 9, US version 10). No GHS code is printed. A PubChem record for CAS 26007-43-2 was not retrieved in this run.
  - Melt volume rate and Charpy impact are not in spores/property-canon.yaml; the short names melt_volume_rate, charpy_impact_unnotched, light_transmittance and water_vapour_transmission_rate are used. Elongation and moisture_absorption use canonical names.
  - COP grades (ZEONEX, ZEONOR) are a different polymer from COC, made by ring-opening metathesis and hydrogenation (Wikipedia). Their values are kept as separate rows and labelled as COP.
sources:
  topas-5013s:
    title: TOPAS 5013S-04 technical data sheet (metric units)
    id: TOPAS Advanced Polymers, rev. 30.09.2024
    url: https://topas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/TDS-5013S-04_e.pdf
    year: 2024
    kind: datasheet
    license: manufacturer datasheet (cited, not reproduced)
  topas-8007s:
    title: TOPAS 8007S-04 technical data sheet (metric units)
    id: TOPAS Advanced Polymers, rev. 30.09.2024
    url: https://topas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/TDS-8007S-04_e.pdf
    year: 2024
    kind: datasheet
    license: manufacturer datasheet (cited, not reproduced)
  topas-sds-eu:
    title: TOPAS Cyclic Olefin Copolymers safety data sheet TP01, version 9 (EU, EN)
    id: TOPAS Advanced Polymers, product code TP01, issued 02-Jan-2023
    url: https://topas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/TP01-TPEU-EN-V9.00_2.pdf
    year: 2023
    kind: datasheet
    license: supplier document, linked not reproduced
  topas-sds-us:
    title: TOPAS Cyclic Olefin Copolymers safety data sheet TP01, version 10 (US, EN)
    id: TOPAS Advanced Polymers, product code TP01, revision date 11.07.2026
    url: https://topas.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/TP01-US-EN-V10.00.pdf
    year: 2026
    kind: datasheet
    license: supplier document, linked not reproduced
  zeon-cop-2019:
    title: ZEONEX and ZEONOR medical grades brochure (Zeon Corporation)
    id: Zeon document 1019005(SE), October 2019
    url: https://www.zeon.co.jp/cn/business/enterprise/pdf/200324217.pdf
    year: 2019
    kind: datasheet
    license: manufacturer document, linked not reproduced
  gamma-coc-2025:
    title: Gamma Irradiation-Induced Changes in Microstructure of Cyclic Olefin Copolymer (COC) Revealed by NMR and SAXS Characterization
    id: doi:10.3390/polym17131751 (Polymers 17, 1751, PMC12251773)
    url: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12251773/
    year: 2025
    kind: paper
    license: CC BY 4.0
  topas-8007x10:
    title: TOPAS 8007X10 technical data sheet (UV-transparent injection moulding grade)
    id: TOPAS Advanced Polymers, data sheet TDS-8007X10
    url: https://topas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/TDS-8007X10_e.pdf
    year: 2023
    kind: datasheet
    license: manufacturer datasheet (cited, not reproduced)
  wiki-coc:
    title: 'Wikipedia: Cyclic olefin copolymer (used for composition, production routes and producer names only)'
    id: en.wikipedia.org
    url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclic_olefin_copolymer
    kind: web
    license: CC BY-SA 4.0
license: CC-BY-4.0
updated: '2026-10-26'
review:
  status: draft
  method: assistant
  checked_values: 22
  unreachable: 2
  caveats: 1
  note: Values read by an AI assistant from the TOPAS and Zeon datasheets in this run. Two papers could not be opened (the 2017 IJPS UV study and the 2017 Springer ageing review). Comma-decimal values are left out of the numeric fields.
story:
  recipe:
    line: Cyclic olefin copolymer is an ethylene-norbornene copolymer. Ethylene is copolymerised with a cyclic olefin, norbornene, and the norbornene share sets the glass transition temperature. Other COP grades are made by ring-opening metathesis polymerisation followed by hydrogenation (Wikipedia).
    parts:
      - name: Norbornene
        symbol: C7H10
        share_note: 35 mol% in TOPAS 8007 and 46 mol% in TOPAS 5013 (reference values)
        role: Cyclic monomer. Its share sets the glass transition temperature, from 78 °C at the lower norbornene share to 134 °C for the grade with more of it.
        source: gamma-coc-2025
        where: Table 2 (norbornene mol%, reference column)
      - name: Ethylene
        symbol: C2H4
        share_note: The balance of the chain
        role: Linear monomer copolymerised with the cyclic olefin (Wikipedia, production routes).
        source: wiki-coc
        where: Production routes
  risk_groups:
    - title: For people
      level: 1
      verdict: Low hazard as sold
      lead: The TOPAS safety data sheets do not classify the resin under EU CLP or US GHS rules. The main risks are hot material and dust.
      points:
        - label: The resin
          line: Not classified under CLP (EU sheet) or GHS (US sheet, version 10). The sheets describe the product as essentially inert and non-toxic.
        - label: Hot material
          line: Molten or hot material can cause thermal burns. If it sticks to skin, do not pull it off; cool the skin and let it come off naturally.
        - label: Dust
          line: Dust can form an explosive mixture in air. The US sheet prints inert-dust limits of 5 mg/m3 respirable and 15 mg/m3 total dust.
        - label: Fire
          line: Combustion can give carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide.
    - title: If the material overheats
      level: 2
      verdict: Limits set by heat
      lead: Decomposition is a risk above 350 °C. The heat deflection values set the limit for parts under load.
      points:
        - label: Above 350 °C
          line: The US sheet warns of a risk of decomposition above 350 °C, and says decomposition products depend on temperature and air supply.
        - label: Under load
          line: TOPAS 8007S-04 deflects at 75 °C under 0.45 MPa. TOPAS 5013S-04 deflects at 127 °C under the same load.
    - title: Storage and radiation
      level: 1
      lead: Store indoors, dry and away from UV light. Gamma radiation changes the microstructure of COC.
      points:
        - label: Sunlight
          line: The US sheet says to store the product away from direct sunlight or ultraviolet light.
        - label: Gamma
          line: Gamma doses of 25 and 100 kGy in air changed the microstructure of TOPAS samples. The radius of gyration of the 35 mol% norbornene sample fell from 10.9 nm to 9.9 nm at 100 kGy. The study did not measure mechanical properties.
  why: Cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) is an amorphous, transparent thermoplastic. It is made by copolymerising a cyclic olefin, norbornene, with ethylene, so its chains do not pack into crystals. The result is a clear, dimensionally stable plastic with low moisture uptake. The glass transition temperature can be tuned by the norbornene content. The TOPAS 8007S-04 grade has 78 °C and the TOPAS 5013S-04 grade 134 °C. Heat resistance is traded for clarity and barrier.
  uses:
    - where: Optics
      line: TOPAS 5013S-04 is sold for optical parts. The manufacturer describes it as highly transparent and flowable, with a heat deflection temperature of 127 °C.
    - where: Medical and pharmaceutical packaging
      line: The Zeon brochure lists ZEONEX medical grades for pre-filled syringes, vials, IV bags and blister packs. The TOPAS safety sheet lists medical articles and packaging among its uses.
    - where: Space
      line: No space use of COC or COP was found in the sources read.
  can_do:
    - label: Clarity
      value: 91 % (TOPAS 8007S-04) and 92 % (ZEONEX 5000)
      line: Light transmission is 91 % at 2 mm for TOPAS 8007S-04 and 92 % at 3 mm for ZEONEX 5000.
    - label: Heat
      benchmark: heat_deflection_temperature
      line: The heat deflection temperature under 0.45 MPa is 127 °C for TOPAS 5013S-04 and 75 °C for TOPAS 8007S-04.
    - label: Stiffness
      benchmark: elastic_modulus
      line: Tensile modulus is 3200 MPa for TOPAS 5013S-04 and 2600 MPa for TOPAS 8007S-04.
    - label: Glass transition
      benchmark: glass_transition_temperature
      line: The glass transition runs from 68 °C (ZEONEX 5000) to 162 °C (ZEONEX 790R) across the Zeon grades, and from 78 °C to 134 °C across the TOPAS grades read.
    - label: Water vapour
      value: 0.8 g/(m2·24h) for ZEONEX 5000
      line: ZEONEX 5000 passes 0.8 g/(m2·24h) of water vapour at 40 °C and 90 % RH on 100 µm film.
  compare: COC sits among clear, low-moisture thermoplastics. Against the COP grades read here, the TOPAS COC grades have a lower glass transition than the high-Tg ZEONEX and ZEONOR grades (134 °C at most, against 162 °C), so the COP grades give more heat margin. The TOPAS 8007S-04 barrier grade has the lowest glass transition of the TOPAS grades read, at 78 °C. ZEONEX 5000 is lower still at 68 °C and is the most barrier-oriented of the Zeon grades read, which trades heat resistance for moisture protection.
  compare_rows:
    - label: Glass transition
      benchmark: glass_transition_temperature
    - label: Heat deflection
      benchmark: heat_deflection_temperature
    - label: Density
      benchmark: density
  handling:
    - Do not handle hot or molten material without protective equipment, and do not exceed the recommended process temperature.
    - Keep the material in closed containers in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight.
    - Avoid dust, and provide exhaust ventilation where dust forms. Dust can form an explosive mixture in air.
    - Do not exceed 350 °C. The manufacturer warns of a risk of decomposition above that temperature.
  good_for:
    - 'Clear optical and medical parts where low moisture uptake matters: 91 % light transmission for TOPAS 8007S-04 and 92 % for ZEONEX 5000.'
    - 'Moisture-barrier packaging: TOPAS 8007S-04 is sold as a high moisture-barrier grade for pharmaceutical packaging.'
  watch_out:
    - 'Heat: the lower-Tg TOPAS 8007S-04 grade deflects at 75 °C under 0.45 MPa.'
    - 'Radiation: gamma doses of 25 and 100 kGy in air changed the microstructure of the samples studied. The radius of gyration fell from 10.9 nm to 9.9 nm at 100 kGy.'
    - 'No space data: no atomic-oxygen, outgassing or UV-ageing result was read for COC or COP.'
  verdict: COC is a clear, low-moisture thermoplastic for optics and packaging. Its heat limit and the missing space data are the main open questions.