Method of making fluoropolymers
AssigneeUniversity of North Carolina
InventorJoseph M. DeSimone
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A process for making a fluoropolymer is disclosed. The process comprises solubilizing a fluoromonomer in solvent comprising a carbon dioxide fluid, and then polymerizing the fluoromonomer to produce the fluoropolymer. A preferred solvent for carrying out the process is supercritical carbon dioxide; preferred fluoromonomers for carrying out the process are fluoroacrylate monomers such as 1,1-dihydroperfluorooctyl acrylate. The polymerization step is preferably carried out in the presence of an initiator such as azobisisobutyronitrile.
Claims24
A process for making a fluoroacrylate polymer, comprising:
- solubilizing a fluoroacrylate monomer in a solvent, the solvent comprising carbon dioxide fluid;
- and then
- polymerizing the fluoroacrylate monomer in said solvent to produce said fluoroacrylate polymer, wherein said polymerizing step is a solution polymerization step.
A process for making a fluoroacrylate polymer, comprising:
- solubilizing a fluoroacrylate monomer in a solvent, the solvent comprising carbon dioxide fluid wherein said fluoroacrylate monomer comprises a monomer of formula (I):
- H.sub.2 C.dbd.CR.sup.1 COO(CH.sub.2).sub.n R.sup.2 (I)
- wherein:
- n is 1 or 2;
- R.sup.1 is hydrogen or methyl;
- and
- R.sup.2 is a perfluorinated aliphatic or perfluorinated aromatic group;
- and then
- polymerizing the fluoroacrylate monomer in said solvent to produce said fluoroacrylate polymer, wherein said polymerizing step is a solution polymerization step.
A process for making a fluoroalkylene oxide polymer, comprising:
- solubilizing a fluoroalkylene oxide monomer in a solvent comprising carbon dioxide fluid;
- and then
- polymerizing the fluoroalkylene oxide monomer in said solvent to produce said fluoroalkylene oxide polymer, wherein said polymerizing step is a solution polymerization step.
A process for making a fluorostyrene polymer, comprising:
- solubilizing a fluorostyrene monomer in a solvent comprising carbon dioxide fluid;
- and then
- polymerizing the fluorostyrene monomer in said solvent to produce said fluorostyrene polymer, wherein said polymerizing step is a solution polymerization step.
A process for making a fluorinated vinyl ether polymer comprising:
- solubilizing a fluorinated vinyl ether monomer in a solvent comprising carbon dioxide fluid;
- and then polymerizing the fluorinated vinyl ether monomer in said solvent to produce said fluorinated vinyl ether polymer, wherein said polymerizing step is a solution polymerization step.
A process for making a fluoroolefin copolymer comprising:
- solubilizing a fluoroolefin monomer and a comonomer in a solvent comprising carbon dioxide fluid;
- and then
- polymerizing said monomers in said solvent to produce said fluoroolefin copolymer;
- wherein said polymerizing step is a solution polymerization step;
- and wherein said fluoroolefin copolymer is an amorphous fluoroolefin copolymer.
A process for making a fluoroolefin polymer comprising:
- solubilizing a fluoroolefin monomer in a solvent comprising carbon dioxide fluid;
- and then
- polymerizing the fluoroolefin monomer in said solvent to produce said fluoroolefin polymer;
- wherein said polymerizing step is a solution polymerization step;
- and wherein said polymerizing step is carried out in the presence of a chain transfer agent.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.