Design, Synthesis and Application of Versatile Materials Based on Functionalized Fluoropolymers
Xuhui Zheng
Although fluoropolymers exhibit remarkable properties which include thermochemical stability, UV resistance, and many more distinctive physicochemical properties arising from the high electronegativity of the fluorine atom from the small Van der Waals radius (1 .32 Ã) and the strong C-F bond (BDE = 485kJ/mol), they have disadvantages that limit their utilization in applications such as adhesives, coatings, membranes, and any application that requires a hydrophilic character. All these disadvantages are attributed to the absence of sufficient functional groups on the polymer backbone. Till now, attempts to copolymerize functional fluorinated monomers results in obtaining low molecular weight copolymers. The novelty of our research regards the ability to synthesize high molecular weight (~ 280,000g/mol), and highly functional VDF-based copolymer (~50%) from commercially available starting materials, via simple emulsion polymerization.1 Moreover, newly synthesized VDF-based terpolymers with tunable composition are investigated.2 Amazingly, our procedure does not require fluorinated surfactants or any fluorinated processing aids. Our polymers are unique and since unlike conventional fluoropolymers, they are amorphous, soluble in common organic solvents, and thus can be completely or partially modified to obtain multifunctional fluoropolymers.3,4 Our research is focused on developing high-performance protective coatings, membranes, and high-value materials, all with controlled properties.
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