Fluoropolymer blends with inorganic layered compounds

Insulated conductor or jacket for insulated conductor made by extrusion of perfluoropolymer composite obtained by dispersing layered-silicate having properties of swelling or cleaving in water to form an aqueous dispersion of said layered-silicate, adding said aqueous dispersion to an aqueous dispersion of perfluoropolymer having a melt flow rate of 0.5 to 100 g/10 min and agglomerating the resultant mixture of dispersions by changing the ionic strength or pH of said resultant mixture by adding 0.001 to 5 weight percent of electrolyte thereto based on the combined weight of said aqueous dispersion of layered-silicate and said aqueous dispersion of perfluoropolymer, and applying shear to obtain as a result thereof said perfluoropolymer composite comprising a dispersion of particles of said layered-silicate homogeneously dispersed at the nano-level in said perfluoropolymer, wherein the layer thickness of said layered-silicate in said perfluoropolymer composite is less than about 25 nm, and wherein the ratio of the storage elasticity (G′s) of the perfluoropolymer composite to the storage elasticity (G′F) of the perfluoropolymer, G′s/GF′, is 3 or greater at temperatures of 60° C. or greater than the glass transition temperature of said perfluoropolymer, said perfluoropolymer being a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoro(alkyl vinyl ether), wherein said alkyl contains from 1 to 5 carbon atoms.

Perfluoropolymer composite obtained by dispersing layered-silicate having properties of swelling or cleaving in water to form an aqueous dispersion of said layered-silicate, adding said aqueous dispersion to an aqueous dispersion of perfluoropolymer having a melt flow rate of 0.5 to 100 g/10 min, and agglomerating the resultant mixture of dispersions by adding 0.001 to 5 weight percent of electrolyte thereto based on the combined weight of said aqueous dispersion of layered-silicate and said aqueous dispersion of perfluoropolymer, and applying shear to obtain as a result thereof said perfluoropolymer composite comprising a dispersion of said layered-silicate homogeneously dispersed at the nano-level in said perfluoropolymer wherein the layer thickness of said layered-silicate in said perfluoropolymer composite is less than about 25 nm, and wherein the X-ray diffraction peak for the layered silicate, visible in said aqueous dispersion of said layered silicate, is not visible in said dispersion of layered silicate in said perfluoropolymer, wherein the ratio of the storage elasticity (G′s) of the perfluoropolymer composite to the storage elasticity (G′F) of the perfluoropolymer, G′s/GF′, is 3 or greater at temperatures greater than the glass transition temperature of said perfluoropolymer, said perfluoropolymer being a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoro(alkyl vinyl ether), wherein said alkyl contains from 1 to 5 carbon atoms.