PVDF

PVDF film is readily commercially available in thicknesses up to 110 pm. If film of this thickness is bonded to a rigid substrate, the peak response is at a frequency of about 3.7 MHz which corresponds to the thickness of the layer being a quarter wavelength. This frequency is rather high for most Lamb wave testing since Fig 1 shows that even on a I mm thick... 

Fig 3. Predicted electro-acoustic response for PVDF film bonded to aluminium and backed with different thicknesses of copper. (Thicknesses shown in pm.)... 

R. S.C. Monkhouse, P.D. Wilcox and P. Cawley, Flexible Interdigital PVDF transducer for the generation of lamb waves in structures. Ultrasonics (in press). 

PVDF in [FLUORINE COPTPOUNDS, ORGANIC - POLY(VINYLIDENE FLUORIDE)] (Vol 11)... 

A PVDF membrane filter has been shown to remove >10 particles of vims for vimses >50 nm independent of fluid type (8). Vimses smaller than 50 nm are not removed as efficientiy but are removed in a predictable manner which correlates to the vims particle size. The chemistry of the suspending fluid affects titer reduction for vimses <50 nm owing to other removal mechanisms, such as adsorption, coming into play. The effects of these other mechanisms can be minimized by using filtration conditions that minimize adsorption. 

Polymer Ferroelectrics. In 1969, it was found that strong piezoelectric effects could be induced in the polymer poly(vinyhdene fluoride) (known as PVD2 or PVDF) by apphcation of an electric field (103). Pyroelectricity, with pyroelectric figures of merit comparable to crystalline pyroelectric detectors (104,105) of PVF2 films polarized this way, was discovered two year later (106.)... 

Poly(viaylidene fluoride) [24937-79-9] is the addition polymer of 1,1-difluoroethene [73-38-7], commonly known as vinylidene fluoride and abbreviated VDF or VF2. The formula of the repeat unit in the polymer is —CH2—CF2—. The preferred acronym for the polymer is PVDF, but the abbreviation PVF2 is also frequently used. The history and development of poly(vinyhdene fluoride) technology has been reviewed (1 3). 

There is growing commercial importance and escalating scientific interest in PVDF. The World Patent database, including the United States, Hsts 678 patents that cite the term poly(vinyHdene fluoride) for the period 1963—1980 and 2052 patents for the period 1981—1992 Chemical Abstracts files covering the years 1967—1992 contain 5282 references for the same term. Thirty years ago there was only one commercial producer of PVDF in the world now there are two in the United States, two in Japan, and three in Europe. 

Uses. Vinyhdene fluoride is used for the manufacture of PVDF and for copolymerization with many fluorinated monomers. One commercially significant use is the manufacture of high performance fluoroelastomers that include copolymers of VDF with hexafluoropropylene (HFP) (62) or chlorotrifluoroethylene (CTFE) (63) and terpolymers with HEP and tetrafluoroethylene (TEE) (64) (see Elastomers, synthetic-fluorocarbon elastomers). There is intense commercial interest in thermoplastic copolymers of VDE with HEP (65,66), CTEE (67), or TEE (68). Less common are copolymers with trifluoroethene (69), 3,3,3-trifluoro-2-trifluoromethylpropene (70), or hexafluoroacetone (71). Thermoplastic terpolymers of VDE, HEP, and TEE are also of interest as coatings and film. A thermoplastic elastomer that has an elastomeric VDE copolymer chain as backbone and a grafted PVDE side chain has been developed (72). 

The incidence of these defects is best determined by high resolution F nmr (111,112) infrared (113) and laser mass spectrometry (114) are alternative methods. Typical commercial polymers show 3—6 mol % defect content. Polymerization methods have a particularly strong effect on the sequence of these defects. In contrast to suspension polymerized PVDF, emulsion polymerized PVDF forms a higher fraction of head-to-head defects that are not followed by tail-to-tail addition (115,116). Crystallinity and other properties of PVDF or copolymers of VDF are influenced by these defect stmctures (117). 

Unlike other synthetic polymers, PVDF has a wealth of polymorphs at least four chain conformations are known and a fifth has been suggested (119). The four known distinct forms or phases are alpha (II), beta (I), gamma (III), and delta (IV). The most common a-phase is the trans-gauche (tgtg ) chain conformation placing hydrogen and fluorine atoms alternately on each side of the chain (120,121). It forms during polymerization and crystallizes from the melt at all temperatures (122,123). The other forms have also been well characterized (124—128). The density of the a polymorph crystals is 1.92 g/cm and that of the P polymorph crystals 1.97 g/cm (129) the density of amorphous PVDF is 1.68 g/cm (130). 

Relaxations of a-PVDF have been investigated by various methods including dielectric, dynamic mechanical, nmr, dilatometric, and piezoelectric and reviewed (3). Significant relaxation ranges are seen in the loss-modulus curve of the dynamic mechanical spectmm for a-PVDF at about 100°C (a ), 50°C (a ), —38° C (P), and —70° C (y). PVDF relaxation temperatures are rather complex because the behavior of PVDF varies with thermal or mechanical history and with the testing methodology (131). 

Suspension- and emulsion-polymerized PVDF exhibit dissimilar behavior in solutions. The suspension resin type is readily soluble in many solvents even in good solvents, solutions of the emulsion resin type contain fractions of microgel, which contain more head-to-head chain defects than the soluble fraction of the resin (116). Concentrated solutions (15 wt %) and melt rheology of various PVDF types also display different behavior (132). The Mark-Houwink relation (rj = KM°-) for PVDF in A/-methylpyrrohdinone (NMP) containing 0.1 molar LiBr at 85°C, for the suspension (115) and emulsion... 

Unlike most crystalline polymers, PVDF exhibits thermodynamic compatibiUty with other polymers (133). Blends of PVDF and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) are compatible over a wide range of blend composition (134,135). SoHd-state nmr studies showed that isotactic PMMA is more miscible with PVDF than atactic and syndiotactic PMMA (136). MiscibiUty of PVDF and poly(alkyl acrylates) depends on a specific interaction between PVDF and oxygen within the acrylate and the effect of this interaction is diminished as the hydrocarbon content of the ester is increased (137). Strong dipolar interactions are important to achieve miscibility with poly(vinyhdene fluoride) (138). PVDF blends are the object of many papers and patents specific blends of PVDF and acryflc copolymers have seen large commercial use. 

Some electrical properties are shown in Table 3. Values of other parameters have been pubflshed (146). Polymorphism of the PVDF chains and the orientation of the two distinct dipole groups, —CF2— and —CH2—, rather than trapped space charges (147) contribute to the exceptional dielectric properties and the extraordinarily large piezoelectric and pyroelectric activity of the polymer (146,148,149). 

Fabrication and Processing. PVDF is available in a wide range of melt viscosities as powder or pellets to fulfill typical fabrication requirements latices are also commercially available. 

Manufactured PVDF parts can be cross-linked using high energy radiation to produce high temperature wire insulation, and heat-shrinkable tubing or film. 

Because of its excekent combination of properties, processibkity, and relatively low price compared to other fluoropolymers, PVDF has become the largest volume fluoropolymer after PTFE consumption in the United States has grown from zero in 1960 to about 6200 metric tons in 1991 (186). About 49% of the consumed volume is PVDF modified by copolymerization with 5—12-wt % HFP to enhance flexibkity. In 1992, Hst price for homopolymer powders was 15.32/kg, and for pekets 15.42/kg the reported market price was 14.09—14.22/kg (187). In the United States, almost ak PVDF is suppHed by Ausimont USA, Inc., Elf Atochem North America, Inc., and Solvay Polymers, Inc. Ausimont and Elf Atochem are producers Solvay is an importer of the resin. Smak amounts of resin are imported from Germany by Huls America, Inc, and from Japan by Kureha Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. PVDE producers and their trademarks are Hsted in Table 4. 

PVDF is used in many diverse industrial applications for products that require high mechanical strength and resistance to severe environmental stresses. 

The most important fields of application for PVDF resias iaclude electric and electronic iadustry products, architectural and specialty finishes, products for the chemical and related iadustries, and rapidly growing specialized uses. 

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