Method for the preparation of styrenic fluoropolymers

A method for the preparation of a fluoropolymer, wherein the method comprises the step of:

• emulsion polymerization of a reaction mixture in an aqueous medium, the reaction mixture comprising:
• a) a fluoromonomer having the structure of
• wherein R1, R2, and R3 are each independently hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups, substituted alkyl groups, or halogens, wherein at least one of R1, R2, and R3 is a fluorine atom, and wherein R is each independently a substituent on the styrenic ring, n is an integer from 0 to 5 representing the number of the substituents on the styrenic ring;
• b) an emulsion stabilizer combination comprising:
• i) an anionic surfactant comprising a C8-C12 alkylsulfate in an amount from about 10 to about 15 weight % based on the fluoromonomer;
• and,
• ii) a cationic surfactant comprising C8-C12 alkylamine hydrochloride in an amount ranging from about 1 to about 3 weight % based on the fluoromonomer;
• and
• c) a free-radical initiator.