AQUEOUS POLYMERIZATION OF FLUORINATED MONOMER USING POLYMERIZATION AGENT COMPRISING FLUOROPOLYETHER ACID OR SALT AND SHORT CHAIN FLUOROSURFACTANT

• Main Authors: BROTHERS, Paul Douglas, GANGAL, Subhash Vishnu
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 08.12.2022
• Subjects: CHEMISTRY; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON; COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVINGCARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS; METALLURGY; ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; USE OF INORGANIC OR NON-MACROMOLECULAR ORGANIC SUBSTANCES ASCOMPOUNDING INGREDIENTS

A process includes polymerizing at least one fluorinated monomer in an aqueous medium containing initiator and polymerization agent to form an aqueous dispersion of particles of fluoropolymer. The polymerization agent includes fluoropolyether acid or salt having an Mn of at least about 800 g/mol and fluorosurfactant having the formula: [R1-On-L-A−] Y+. R1 is a linear or branched partially or fully fluorinated aliphatic group which may contain ether linkages; n is 1; L is a linear or branched alkylene group which may be nonfluorinated, partially fluorinated, or fully fluorinated and may contain ether linkages; A− is a carboxylate; and Y+ is hydrogen, ammonium, or alkali metal cation. The chain length of R1-On-L- is not greater than 6 atoms. The polymerization agent includes a minor amount of fluoropolyether acid or salt thereof and a major amount of fluorosurfactant. The polymerizing produces less than about 3 wt % undispersed fluoropolymer based on the total weight of fluoropolymer produced.