Abstract

Perfluoroalkoxy (PFA) fluorocarbon resins are designed to meet industrial needs in chemical, electrical, and mechanical applications. These melt-processible copolymers contain a fluorocarbon backbone in the main chain and randomly distributed perfluorinated ether side chains. A combination of excellent chemical and mechanical properties at elevated temperatures results in reliable high performance to the chemical processing and related industries. Chemical inertness, heat resistance, toughness and flexibility, stress-crack resistance, excellent flex life, antistick characteristics, little moisture absorption, nonflammability, and exceptional dielectric properties are some of the key characteristics of these polymers.

Tetrafluoroethylene and perfluorovinyl ether are copolymerized in aqueous and nonaqueous media. The polymer is separated and converted into various forms, such as extruded cubes, powders, beads, or dispersions. Molecular weight and molecular weight distribution are controlled by a chain-transfer agent. Sometimes a second phase is added to the polymerization reaction medium to improve the distribution of the vinyl ether in the polymer.