Dispersions containing bicomponent fluoropolymer particles and use thereof
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsRichard S. Buckanin, Lian S. Tan, E. Steven McAlister
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Abstract
The present invention provides a method of preparing an aqueous dispersion of poly(perfluorovinyl ether) homopolymers. The present invention further relates to a method of making an aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion comprising bicomponent particles of poly(perfluorovinyl ether) homopolymers and a second fluoropolymer. The dispersions of the present invention may be used for rendering fibrous substrates oil repellent, water repellent and/or stain repellent without altering the looks and feel of the substrate.
Claims24
A method of making a bicomponent fluoropolymer dispersion comprising the steps of:
- a. pre-emulsifying an aqueous mixture of a perfluorovinyl ether monomer in the presence of a fluorochemical emulsifier to an average emulsion droplet size of one micron or less, and
- b. polymerizing said perfluorovinyl ether in the presence of a free-radical initiator at temperature and for a time sufficient to produce particles of poly(perfluorovinyl other),
- c. subsequently adding at least one additional fluorinated comonomer without additional emulsifier, and
- d. further polymerizing the resulting mixture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.