Processing of Melt-Processible Fluoroplastics

3 PROCESSING OF MELT-PROCESSIBLE FLUOROPLASTICS 4.3.1 Melt-Processible Pereeuoropeastics 

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 perfluo-rinated monomers. Commercially, the copolymer of TFE and hexafluoropropylene (HEP) is commonly known as fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP). Copolymerization of TEE with perfluoropropylvinyl ether (PPVE) leads to perfluoroalkoxy (PEA) resins, and copolymerization of TFE with perfluoromethylvinyl ether (PMVE) produces methylfluoroalkoxy (MEA) resins. 

Processing temperatures used for FEP resins are usually up to 427°C (800°F), at which temperatures highly corrosive products are generated. Therefore, the parts of the processing equipment that are in contact with the melt must be made of special corrosion-resistant alloys to assure a trouble-free operation. 

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