Ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer Fabrication

Modified ethylene—tetrafluoroethylene copolymers are commercially available ia a variety of physical forms (Table 6) and can be fabricated by conventional thermoplastic techniques. Commercial ETFE resias are marketed ia melt-extmded cubes, that ate sold ia 20-kg bags or 150-kg dmms. In the United States, the 1992 price was 27.9—44.2/kg, depending on volume and grade color concentrates are also available. 

Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene copolymers can be readily fabricated by a variety of melt-processing techniques [26]. They have a wide processing window, in the range... 

Polyethylene, linear low density film, tobacco packaging Polypropylene film, waste bags Polyethylene, low-density film, water-sol. pharmaceutical capsules Ethylene/MA copolymer film, weather-resistant Ethylene/tetrafluoroethylene copolymer film, wrapping fabricated articles Cellophane film, wrapping food Cellophane... 

Part Two describes the fabrication techniques for various fluoropolymers. They include perfluoroalkoxy polymer (PFA), fluorinated ethylene-propylene polymer (FEP), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (ETFE), ethylene-chlo-rotrifluoroethylene copolymer (ECTFE), and polyvinyl fluoride (PVF). Major fabrication techniques including injection molding, extrusion, compression... 

Copolymeis of ethylene [74-85-1] and tetiafluoioethylene [116-14-3] (ETFE) have been alaboiatory curiosity for more than 40 years. These polymers were studied in connection with a search for a melt-fabricable PTFE resin (1 5) interest in them fell with the discovery of TFE—HFP (FEP) copolymers (6). In the 1960s, however, it became evident that a melt-fabricable fluorocarbon resin was needed with higher strength and stiffness than those of PTFE resins. Earlier studies indicated that TFE—ethylene copolymers [11939-51 -6] might have the right combination of properties. Subsequent research efforts (7) led to the introduction of modified ethylene—tetrafluoroethylene polymer [25038-71-5] (Tefzel) by E. I. du Pont de Nemours Co., Inc, in 1970. 

Some of the fluorinated copolymers of ethylene such as ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene and ethylene-chlorotrifluoroethylene polymers can be fabricated into foams that are useful for wire insulation applications. These compositions are usually comprised of 40-60... 

Copolymers of ethylene and tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) essentially comprise alternating ethylene and TFE units. They have an excellent balance of physical, chemical, mechanical, and electrical properties, are easily fabricated by melt-processing techniques, but have found little commercial utility, because they exhibit a poor resistance to cracking at elevated temperatures.59 Incorporation of certain termonomers, so-called modifiers, in amounts 1 to 10 mol% markedly improves the cracking resistance, while maintaining the desirable properties of the copolymer.60 61... 

The need for highly fluorinated thermoplastic polymers that, unlike PTFE, could be fabricated by conventional melt-processing methods led to the development of a group of resins that are copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) with other perflu-orinated monomers. Commercially, the copolymer of TFE and hexafluoropropylene (HFP) is commonly known as fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP). Copolymerization of TFE with perfluoropropylvinyl ether (PPVE) leads to PFA resins, and copolymerization of TFE with perfluoromethylvinyl ether (PMVE) produces MFA resins. 

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