Fluoropolymer

{{Short description|Type of polymer}} A '''fluoropolymer''' is a fluorocarbon-based polymer with multiple carbon–fluorine bonds. It is characterized by a high resistance to solvents, acids, and bases. The best known fluoropolymer is polytetrafluoroethylene under the brand name "Teflon," trademarked by the DuPont Company.

==History==

In 1938, polytetrafluoroethylene (DuPont brand name Teflon) was discovered by accident by a recently hired DuPont Ph.D., Roy J. Plunkett. While working with tetrafluoroethylene gas to develop refrigerants, he noticed that a previously pressurized cylinder had no pressure remaining. In dissecting the cylinder, he found a mass of white solid in a quantity similar to that of the tetrafluoroethylene gas. It was determined that this material was a new-to-the-world polymer. Tests showed the substance was resistant to corrosion from most acids, bases and solvents and had better high temperature stability than any other plastic. By early 1941, a crash program was making substantial quantities of PTFE for the Manhattan Project.<ref name="BIddon">{{cite book|last=Iddon|first=Brian|title=The Magic of Chemistry|publisher=Eastleigh:BDH |isbn=0-9500439-6-6|year=1985|pages=10–11}}</ref><ref name="ModFcchem">{{cite book|chapter = Fluorine|chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ycSf3EK9i2gC&pg=PA5|pages = 3–10|title = Modern Fluoroorganic Chemistry: Synthesis, reactivity, applications|isbn = 978-3-527-30691-6|author1 = Kirsch, Peer|year = 2004| publisher=John Wiley & Sons |access-date=2011-05-07}}</ref><ref name=Hounshell>{{cite book|last=Hounshell|first=David A.|title=Science and Corporate Strategy: DuPont R&D, 1902–1980|year=1988|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=0-521-32767-9|pages=[https://archive.org/details/sciencecorporate0008houn/page/147 147, 156–57, 482–484]|author2=Smith, John Kenly|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/sciencecorporate0008houn/page/147}}</ref><ref name="Jstg">{{cite journal|last1 = Okazoe|first1 = Takashi|title = Overview on the history of organofluorine chemistry from the viewpoint of material industry|journal = Proceedings of the Japan Academy, Series B|volume = 85|pages = 276–89|year = 2009|doi = 10.2183/pjab.85.276|issue = 8|bibcode = 2009PJAB...85..276O|pmc = 3621566|pmid=19838009}}</ref>

==Properties== Fluoropolymers share the properties of fluorocarbons in that they are not as susceptible to the van der Waals force as hydrocarbons. This contributes to their non-stick and friction reducing properties. Also, they are stable due to the stability multiple carbon–fluorine bonds add to a chemical compound. Fluoropolymers may be mechanically characterized as thermosets or thermoplastics. Fluoropolymers can be homopolymers or copolymers. {{Citation needed|date=August 2010}}

==Examples of monomers used to prepare fluoropolymers== * Perfluorocycloalkene (PFCA) * Ethylene (Ethene, E) * Vinyl fluoride (fluoroethylene) (VF1) * Vinylidene fluoride (1,1-difluoroethylene) (VDF or VF2) * Tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) * Chlorotrifluoroethylene (CTFE) * Propylene (Propene, P) * Hexafluoropropylene (HFP) * Perfluoropropylvinylether (PPVE) * Perfluoro(methyl vinyl ether) (PMVE)

==Examples of fluoropolymers== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Fluoropolymer !! Trade names !! Monomers !! Melting point (°C) |- | PVF (polyvinylfluoride) || Tedlar<ref>Tedlar is a registered trademark of DuPont</ref> || VF1 || 200<ref name="Ibeh">{{cite book | title=THERMOPLASTIC MATERIALS Properties, Manufacturing Methods, and Applications | publisher=CRC Press | author=Christopher C. Ibeh | year=2011 | pages=491–497 | isbn=978-1-4200-9383-4}}</ref> |- | PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride) || Kynar<ref>Kynar is a registered trademark of Arkema, Inc.</ref> Solef<ref>Solef is a registered trademark of Solvay specialty polymers S.p.A.</ref> Hylar<ref>Hylar is a registered trademark of Solvay specialty polymers S.p.A.</ref> || VF2 || 175 |- | PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene)|| Sold by AGC under the tradename Fluon PTFE; Sold by Dupont and Chemours Company under the tradename Teflon; sold by Solvay Specialty Polymers under the tradenames Algoflon Hyflon and Polymist; sold by Daikin under the tradename Polyflon || TFE || 327 |- | PCTFE (polychlorotrifluoroethylene) ||Kel-F (3M), Neoflon (Daikin), Voltalef <ref>{{Cite web |title=PCTFE plastic (polytetrafluoroethylene) - SPN technical plastic manufacturer |url=https://www.plastiques-nobles.com/en/pctfe-ptfce-polychlorotrifluoroethylene/ |access-date=2022-03-07 |website=DEMGY Plastiques SPN |language=en-GB}}</ref> (Arkema) || CTFE ||220<ref name="Ibeh" /> |- | PFA, MFA<ref>{{cite web |url=http://fluorotherm.com/Properties-Physical.asp |title=Typical Properties of Fluropolymers |publisher=Fluoropolymer |access-date=2014-04-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413131445/http://fluorotherm.com/Properties-Physical.asp |archive-date=2014-04-13 |url-status=dead }}</ref> (perfluoroalkoxy polymer) || Sold by AGC under the tradename Fluon PFA. Sold by DuPont under the tradename Teflon-PFA. Sold by Solvay Specialty Polymers under the tradename Hyflon.<ref>Hyflon is a registered trademark of Solvay Solexis S.p.A.</ref> Neoflon (Daikin) || PPVE + TFE || 305 |- | FEP (fluorinated ethylene-propylene) || Sold by DuPont under the tradename Teflon FEP. Also known as Neoflon (Daikin) and Hyflon || HFP + TFE || 260 |- | ETFE (polyethylenetetrafluoroethylene) ||Sold by AGC under the trade name of FluonETFE<ref>Fluon is a registered trademark of Asahi Glass Company</ref> Tefzel,;<ref>Tefzel is a registered trademark of DuPont</ref> sold by Daikin under the tradename Neoflon || TFE + E|| 265 |- | ECTFE (polyethylenechlorotrifluoroethylene) || Halar<ref>Halar is a registered trademark of Solvay Solexis S.p.A.</ref> sold by Solvay Specialty Polymers || CTFE + E || |- | FFPM/FFKM (Perfluorinated Elastomer [Perfluoroelastomer]) || Kalrez.<ref>Kalrez is a registered trademark of DuPont</ref> Tecnoflon PFR<ref>Tecnoflon is a registered trademark of Solvay Solexis S.p.A.</ref> DAI-EL (Daikin) || || |- | FPM/FKM (Fluoroelastomer [Vinylidene Fluoride based copolymers]) || Viton,<ref>Viton is a registered trademark of DuPont</ref> Tecnoflon FKM, DAI-EL (Daikin), Fluonox (Gujarat Fluorochemicals Limited) || || |- | FEPM (Fluoroelastomer [Tetrafluoroethylene-Propylene]) || Sold by AGC under the trade name of AFLAS,<ref>AFLAS is a registered trademark of AGC(Asahi Glass Co, Ltd.)</ref>|| TFE + P|| |- | PFPE (Perfluoropolyether) || Sold by DuPont under the tradename Krytox.<ref>Krytox is a registered trademark of DuPont</ref> Sold by Solvay Specialty Polymers S.p.A. as Fomblin and Galden|| || |- | PFSA (Perfluorosulfonic acid) ||Nafion || || |- | Perfluoropolyoxetane || || || |}

==Typical properties== <ref>{{cite web |url=http://fluorotherm.com/Properties-Physical.asp |title=Typical Properties of Fluoropolymers |publisher=Fluorotherm |access-date=2014-04-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413131445/http://fluorotherm.com/Properties-Physical.asp |archive-date=2014-04-13 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" |- ! Property !! Method No. !! Units !! PTFE !! FEP !! PFA !! ETFE !! ECTFE !! PCTFE !! PVDF |- | Specific gravity || D792 || - || 2.17 || 2.15 || 2.15 || 1.7 || 1.7 || 2.15 || 1.78 |- | Yield strength || D638 || MPa || 10 || 12 || 15.5 || 24 || 31 || 40 || 46 |- | Yield strength || D638 || PSI || 1,450 || 1,740 || 2,250 || 3,480 || 4,500 || 5,800 || 6,670 |- | Elongation || || % || 200-500 || 250-350 || 300 || 200-500 || 200-300 || 80-250 || 20-150 |- | Tensile modulus || D638 || MPa || 600 || 500 || 700 || 1500 || 1655 || 1500 || 2400 |- | Tensile modulus || D638 || ksi || 87 || 72.5 || 101.5 || 217.5 || 240 || 218 || 348 |- | Hardness || D2240 || Shore D || 60 || 57 || 62 || 75 || 75 || 90 || 79 |- | HDT, @ 66 PSI || D648 || °F || 250 || 158 || 164 || 219 || 240 || 248 || 300 |- | HDT, @ 264 PSI || D648 || °F || 122 || 129 || 118 || 160 || 169 || - || 239 |- | Limiting oxygen index || D2863 || % || >95 || >95 || >95 || 30-36 || || || |- |Dielectric constant || D150 || 1 MHz || 2.1 || 2.1 || 2.1 || 2.6 || || || |}

==Further reading== *{{Cite book |title=Synthesis report on understanding fluoropolymers and their life cycle |date=2025 |publisher=OECD Publishing |series=OECD Series on Risk Management of Chemicals |language=en |doi=10.1787/35b035df-en}}

==References== {{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

Category:Fluoropolymers Category:Organofluorides Category:Polymers Category:Thermoplastics