Low equivalent weight sulfonic fluoropolymers

A sulfonic fluoropolymer having a fluoropolymer backbone having pendant groups attached thereto and represented by the general formula:

• ZSO.sub.2 -(CF.sub.2).sub.a -(CFR.sub.f).sub.b -O-
• where:
• Z is a halogen, an alkali metal, hydrogen, or OR;
• R is a branched or linear alkyl radical having from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms or an aryl radical;
• a is 0-2;
• b is 0-2;
• provided a+b is not equal to 0;
• R.sub.f is selected from the group consisting of -F,--Cl, perfluoroalkyl radicals having from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms and fluorochloroalkyl radicals having from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms, wherein the sulfonic fluoropolymer has an equivalent weight of less than about 675, and a hydration product of less than about 22,000 when Z is hydrogen.

A sulfonic fluoropolymer having a fluoropolymer backbone having pendant groups attached thereto and represented by the general formula:

• ZSO.sub.2 -(CF.sub.2).sub.a -(CFR.sub.f).sub.b -O-
• where:
• Z is a halogen, an alkali metal, hydrogen, or OR;
• R is a branched or linear alkyl radical having from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms or an aryl radical;
• a is 0-2;
• b is 0-2;
• provided a+b is not equal to 0;
• R.sub.f is selected from the group consisting of -F,--Cl, perfluoroalkyl radicals having from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms and fluorochloroalkyl radicals having from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms, wherein the sulfonic fluoropolymer has an equivalent weight of less than about 650, and a hydration product of less than about 22,000, when Z is hydrogen.

A sulfonic fluoropolymer having a fluoropolymer backbone and having pendant groups attached thereto represented by the general formula:

• ZSO.sub.2 -(CF.sub.2).sub.a -(CFR.sub.f).sub.b -O-
• where Z is a halogen, an alkali metal, hydrogen, or OR;
• R is a branched or linear alkyl radical having from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms or an aryl radical;
• a is 0-2;
• b is 0-2;
• provided a+b is equal to 1 or 2;
• R.sub.f is selected from the group consisting of --F,--Cl, perfluoroalkyl radicals having from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms and fluorochloroalkyl radicals having from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms, wherein the sulfonic fluoropolymer has an equivalent weight less than about 725.

A sulfonic fluoropolymer having a fluoropolymer backbone and having pendant groups attached thereto represented by the general formula:

• ZSO.sub.2 -(CF.sub.2).sub.a -(CFR.sub.f).sub.b -O-
• where Z is a halogen, an alkali metal, hydrogen, or OR;
• R is a branched or linear alkyl radical having from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms or an aryl radical;
• a is 0-2;
• b is 0-2;
• provided a+b is equal to 1 or 2;
• R.sub.f is selected from the group consisting of --F,--Cl, perfluoroalkyl radicals having from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms and fluorochloroalkyl radicals having from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms, wherein the sulfonic fluoropolymer has an equivalent weight less than about 700.

A sulfonic fluoropolymer having a fluoropolymer backbone and having pendant groups attached thereto represented by the general formula:

• ZSO.sub.2 -(CF.sub.2).sub.a -(CFR.sub.f).sub.b -O-
• where Z is a halogen, an alkali metal, hydrogen, or OR;
• R is a branched or linear alkyl radical having from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms or an aryl radical;
• a is 0-2;
• b is 0-2;
• provided a+b is equal to 1 or 2;
• R.sub.f is selected from the group consisting of --F,--Cl, perfluoroalkyl radicals having from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms and fluorochloroalkyl radicals having from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms, wherein the sulfonic fluoropolymer has an equivalent weight less than about 675.

A sulfonic fluoropolymer having a fluoropolymer backbone and having pendant groups attached thereto represented by the general formula:

• ZSO.sub.2 -(CF.sub.2).sub.a -(CFR.sub.f).sub.b -O-
• where Z is a halogen, an alkali metal, hydrogen, or OR;
• R is a branched or linear alkyl radical having from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms or an aryl radical;
• a is 0-2;
• b is 0-2;
• provided a+b is equal to 1 or 2;
• R.sub.f is selected from the group consisting of --F,--Cl, perfluoroalkyl radicals having from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms and fluorochloroalkyl radicals having from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms, wherein the sulfonic fluoropolymer has an equivalent weight less than about 650.

A sulfonic fluoropolymer having a fluoropolymer backbone and having pendant groups attached thereto represented by the general formula:

• ZSO.sub.2 -(CF.sub.2).sub.a -(CFR.sub.f).sub.b -O-
• where Z is a halogen, an alkali metal, hydrogen, or OR;
• R is a branched or linear alkyl radical having from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms or an aryl radical;
• a is 0-2;
• b is 0-2;
• provided a+b is equal to 1 or 2;
• R.sub.f is selected from the group consisting of --F,--Cl, perfluoroalkyl radicals having from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms and fluorochloroalkyl radicals having from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms, wherein the sulfonic fluoropolymer has an equivalent weight less than about 600.

A sulfonic fluoropolymer having a fluoropolymer backbone and having pendant groups attached thereto represented by the general formula:

• ZSO.sub.2 -(CF.sub.2).sub.a -(CFR.sub.f).sub.b -O-
• where Z is a halogen, an alkali metal, hydrogen, or OR;
• R is a branched or linear alkyl radical having from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms or an aryl radical;
• a is 0-2;b is 0-2;
• provided a+b is equal to 1 or 2;
• R.sub.f is selected from the group consisting of --F,--Cl, perfluoroalkyl radicals having from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms and fluorochloroalkyl radicals having from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms, wherein the sulfonic fluoropolymer has an equivalent weight less than about 575.

A laminated composite film comprising a fluoropolymer film having sulfonic or carboxylic ion exchange active groups in one layer and, as the other layer, a sulfonic fluoropolymer having a fluoropolymer backbone having pendant groups attached thereto and represented by the general formula:

• ZSO.sub.2 -(CF.sub.2).sub.a -(CFR.sub.f).sub.b -O-
• where:
• Z is a halogen, an alkali metal, hydrogen, or OR;
• R is a branched or linear alkyl radical having from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms or an aryl radical;
• a is 0-2;
• b is 0-2;
• provided a+b is not equal to 0;
• Rf is selected from the group consisting of --F,--Cl, perfluoroalkyl radicals having from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms and fluorochloroalkyl radicals having from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms, wherein the sulfonic fluoropolymer has an equivalent weight of less than about 700, and a hydration product of less than about 22,000, when Z is hydrogen.