Process for producing fluoropolymer particles

A process for producing fluoropolymer particles, which comprises the following steps (i) and (ii):

• (i) a step of preparing a solution or dispersion of a fluoropolymer (A) having the fluoropolymer (A) dissolved or dispersed in a solvent (B), wherein the following conditions (i-1) and (i-2) are satisfied:
• (i-1) the solvent (B) contains a good solvent (B2) whereby the degree of swelling of the fluoropolymer (A) exceeds 50%, and
• (i-2) the degree of swelling of the fluoropolymer (A) by the solvent (B) is from 50 to 1,200%;
• and
• (ii) a step of mixing the solution or dispersion of a fluoropolymer (A) with a solvent (C) to flocculate the fluoropolymer (A) thereby to form particles of the fluoropolymer (A), wherein the following conditions (ii-1) to (ii-4) are satisfied:
• (ii-1) the solvent (C) contains a poor solvent (C1) whereby the degree of swelling of the fluoropolymer (A) is at most 50%,
• (ii-2) the degree of swelling of the fluoropolymer (A) by a mixed solvent (BC) of the solvents (B) and (C) is from 0 to 100%,
• (ii-3) the ratio (WCNVB) of the mass (WC) of the solvent (C) to the mass (WB) of the solvent (B) is from 1 to 5, and
• (ii-4) the ratio (SBC/SB) of the degree of swelling (SBC) of the fluoropolymer (A) by the mixed solvent (BC) to the degree of swelling (SB) of the fluoropolymer (A) by the solvent (B) is at most 0.5.