Process for preparing tetrafluoroethylene/fluoro(alkyl vinyl ether) copolymer

Abstract

A process for preparing a tetrafluoroethylene/fluoro(alkyl vinyl ether) copolymer comprising polymerizing tetrafluoroethylene and fluoro(alkyl vinyl ether) in an aqueous suspension system which comprises a mixed medium of water and a fluorohydrocarbon or a chlorofluorohydrocarbon in a volume ratio of from 1:1 to 10:1 at a temperature of from 0.degree. to 25.degree. C. in the presence of a polymerization initiator of the formula: [Cl(CF.sub.2).sub.n --COO].sub.2 (I) wherein n is an integer of 1 to 10, the copolymer obtained by the process having a small number of unstable terminal groups and excellent flex life.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.