Fluoropolymer compositions and inorganic nanometric particles

A process for manufacturing a polymeric composition comprising:

• a) from 90 to 99.9% by weight of a fluoropolymer;
• and homogeneously dispersed
• b) from 0.1 to 10% by weight of non-modified lamellar inorganic particles having a thickness lower than 100 nm,
• said process comprising the steps of:
• 1) preparing an aqueous fluoropolymer latex having a concentration between 5 and 60% by weight of fluoropolymer;
• 2) preparing an aqueous dispersion of lamellar inorganic particles having a thickness lower than 100 nm, and the other two dimensions lower than 10,000 nm by mixing an inorganic component having a layered lamellar morphology with water until obtaining a concentration comprised between 0.1 and 10% by weight under stirring at a temperature in the range 20° C.-300° C.
• 3) mixing, under stirring, the latex obtained in step 1) with the aqueous dispersion obtained in step 2) wherein the ratio by weight of the fluoropolymer to the lamellar inorganic component is in a range of 1:1-1000:1;
• 4) effecting precipitation of a solid phase from the aqueous mixture obtained in step 3) by cooling at a temperature lower than 0° C. to −20° C. or by increasing the ionic force or by pH variations;
• and
• 5) separating and drying at temperatures from 50° C. to 250° C. the solid phase obtained in step 4) to obtain the polymeric composition.