Low surface energy polymeric films from partially fluorinated photocurable solventless liquid oligoesters

• Published in: Polymer bulletin (Berlin, Germany) Vol. 47; no. 3-4; pp. 321 - 328
• Main Authors: WEIHUA MING, VAN RAVENSTEIN, Luc, VAN DE GRAMPEL, Robert, VAN GENNIP, Wouter, KRUPERS, Maarten, NIEMANTSVERDRIET, Hans, VAN DER LINDE, Rob
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer 01.12.2001; Berlin Springer Nature B.V; New York, NY
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Exact sciences and technology; Fluorination; Fluorine; Forms of application and semi-finished materials; Photocuring; Photoinitiators; Polymer films; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Sheets and films; Surface energy; Technology of polymers; Photochemical crosslinking; Polyfunctional compound; Film; Ester polymer; Experimental study; Oligomer; Photoinitiator; Chemical modification; Preparation; Surface properties; Fluorine Organic compounds; Fluorination; Surface energy
• ISSN: 0170-0839; 1436-2449
• DOI: 10.1007/s289-001-8188-7

SummaryWe have recently shown that low surface energy polymeric films can be readily obtained from partially fluorinated hydroxyl-end-capped solventless liquid oligoesters by thermal curing [1]. Photocurable liquid oligoesters can be prepared by further substituting the remaining hydroxyl end groups with acrylic double bonds. A conventional photoinitiator containing 2-hydroxy-2-methylpropiophenone was used to cure the liquid oligoesters. As the fluorine content increases from 0 to about 1.57 wt %, the surface energy decreases by about 14 mN/m. The fluorine level in the outer few nanometers is significantly greater than that in the bulk, as revealed by XPS studies. The driving force for the surface segregation of fluorinated species comes from the large difference in surface energy between the oligoesters and their fluorinated counterparts.