Teflon copolymers

FEP plastics Copolymers of tetrafluoro-ethene and hexafluoropropene. Inert and corrosion resistant as Teflon but can be processed by melt techniques. 

A number of friction studies have been carried out on organic polymers in recent years. Coefficients of friction are for the most part in the normal range, with values about as expected from Eq. XII-5. The detailed results show some serious complications, however. First, n is very dependent on load, as illustrated in Fig. XlI-5, for a copolymer of hexafluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene [31], and evidently the area of contact is determined more by elastic than by plastic deformation. The difference between static and kinetic coefficients of friction was attributed to transfer of an oriented film of polymer to the steel rider during sliding and to low adhesion between this film and the polymer surface. Tetrafluoroethylene (Telfon) has a low coefficient of friction, around 0.1, and in a detailed study, this lower coefficient and other differences were attributed to the rather smooth molecular profile of the Teflon molecule [32]. 

The most chemical-resistant plastic commercially available today is tetrafluoroethylene or TFE (Teflon). This thermoplastic is practically unaffected by all alkahes and acids except fluorine and chlorine gas at elevated temperatures and molten metals. It retains its properties up to 260°C (500°F). Chlorotrifluoroethylene or CTFE (Kel-F, Plaskon) also possesses excellent corrosion resistance to almost all acids and alkalies up to 180°C (350°F). A Teflon derivative has been developed from the copolymerization of tetrafluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene. This resin, FEP, has similar properties to TFE except that it is not recommended for continuous exposures at temperatures above 200°C (400°F). Also, FEP can be extruded on conventional extrusion equipment, while TFE parts must be made by comphcated powder-metallurgy techniques. Another version is poly-vinylidene fluoride, or PVF2 (Kynar), which has excellent resistance to alkahes and acids to 150°C (300°F). It can be extruded. A more recent development is a copolymer of CTFE and ethylene (Halar). This material has excellent resistance to strong inorganic acids, bases, and salts up to 150°C. It also can be extruded. 

These materials were first introduced by Du Pont in 1956 and are now known as Teflon FEP resins. (FEP = fluorinated ethylene-propylene.) Subsequently other commercial grades have become available (Neoflon by Daikin Kogyo and Teflex by Niitechim, USSR). These copolymers may be regarded as the first commercial attempt to provide a material with the general properties of PTFE and the melt processability of the more conventional thermoplastics. 

In 1972 Du Pont introduced Teflon PFA, a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluorofpropyl vinyl ether) (CF2 = CFOCF2CF2CF3). Similar materials are now also produeed by Asahi Glass, Daikin, Hoechst and Monteflos and are commonly referred to as PFA fluoropolymers. In 1994 Hoechst introduced Hostaflon PFA-N, claimed to have significantly lower melt viscosities than earlier grades of material. 

Properties are similar to those of PTFE, and PFA fluoropolymers are generally considered to be the best melt-processable alternative to PTFE yet available. They are, however, more expensive than PTFE. Compared with the TFE-FEP copolymers such as Teflon I P the PFA fluoropolymers ... 

Somewhat between PTFE and PFA materials is the product Hostaflon TFM, which is a copolymer of TFE and a small amount of the perfluoro(propyl vinyl ether). It has improved impact strength and weldability and has been promoted as a suitable material for forming into bottles. Yet another TFE-perfluoroalkoxy copolymer was introduced by Du Pont in 1979 as Teflon EPE. This material had a somewhat lower melting point (295 °C) than the more common PFA fluoropolymers but it is no longer marketed. 

In 1989 Du Pont introduced Teflon AF, said to be a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and trifluoromethyldifluorodioxol. This amorphous fluoro-polymer has a similar heat and chemical resistance to PTFE but possesses several notable properties, including ... 

A major development in fluoroplastks is the recent small scale production of Teflon AF, a noncrystaUme (amorphous) fluorocarbon polymer with a high glass transition temperature (240 °C) This optically transparent TFE copolymer is soluble m certan fluorocabons and has the same chemical and oxidative stability as crystallme TFE homopolymers [5]... 

Tetrafluoroethylene-Perfluoro(2,2-dimethyl-l,3-dioxole) Copolymers (Teflon AF)... 

The block copolymer and the microsphere were cast from polymer-benzene solution on a Teflon sheet. The solution was gradually dried at room temperature. Film was microtomed vertically at 80 nm thick by the Ul-traCut-N (Reichert Nissei). In order to obtain enough contrast for TEM observation, the P4VP microdomains in the film were stained with OSO4. The film was observed by TEM (JEOL CX-100) at 100 kV. 

Permeation tubes are very popular devices for generating stemdard vapor concentrations. The permeation tube contains a volatile liquid sealed in an inert permeable membrane, usually Teflon or a fluorinated copolymer of ethylene and propylene, through which it diffuses at a fixed and controlled rate. The driving force for the process is the dif ce in partial... 

Teflon HP Plus copolymers, 18 331 in lotus effect surfaces, 22 117 Teflon PFA. See also Tetrafluoroethylene-perfluorovinyl ether applications of, 18 338-339 chemical properties of, 18 332-333 economic aspects of, 18 338 electrical properties of, 18 334 health and safety factors related to, 18 338... 

Tetrafluoroethylene-(TFE)-perfluoropropyl vinyl ether copolymers, 7 641 Tetrafluoroethylene-perfluorovinyl ether, 48 329-339. See also Teflon PFA copolymerization of, 48 330—331 Tetrafluoroethylene-perfluorodioxole copolymers, 48 339—342. See also Teflon AF copolymers applications of, 48 342 economic aspects of, 48 341—342 health and safety factors related to, 48 342 monomer preparation, 48 339 synthesis of, 48 339-340 Tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) copolymerization with... 

Anhydrous Copolymerization of NIPAAM and N-Acryloxysuccinimide (NASI). In a modification of the procedure of Poliak et al., (4), NIPAAM (5 g, 44 mmol), NASI (0.372 g, 2.2 mmol) and 2,2 azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN, 0.021 g, 0.13 mmol) were dissolved in 50 ml of dry tetrahydrofuran. The magnetically stirred solution was degassed, heated to 50 C for 24 hours under positive nitrogen pressure, and allowed to cool. The reaction mixture was filtered (0.45 i teflon filter) and the filtrate volume reduced by half. Ether was added with mixing to precipitate the copolymer. 

A study has been conducted on PBXs based on TATB using various binders such as polyurethane (Estane 5703-Goodrich), Viton-A (copolymer of vinylidene fluoride and hexafluoropropylene Du Pont), silicone resin (Chemlok), Kel-F800 [copolymer (3 1) of chlorotrifluoroethylene and vinylidene fluoride 3M Company] and Teflon [poly (tetrafluoroethylene), PTFE Du Pont] etc. and it was concluded that... 

Steel [52013-36-2] suture is made from 316-L stainless steel wire. The suture may be monofilament, known as fixation wire, or multifilament twisted wires. The steel is heat-treated to improve ductility. The multifilament strands are either uncoated, or coated with Teflon (polytetrafluoroethylene) or Teflon-fluorinated ethylene—propylene copolymer. 

Since the discovery of Teflon by Roy Plunkett in 1937 a number of fluorinated plastics have reached commercial status. These plastics, exemplified by polytetrafluoroethylene (PIPE), have outstanding electrical, chemical, and thermal properties. AU these commercial materials are either crystaUine or semicrystalline. Teflon AF is a family of amorphous copolymers that retain the desirable electrical, chemical, and thermal properties of semicrystalline fluorinated plastics and also have such properties associated with amorphous materials as optical clarity, improved physical properties, and solubility in selected fluorinated solvents. 

The Teflon AF family consists of copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene, (TFE) and 2,2-bis-trifluoromethyl-4,5-difluoro-l,3-dioxole, (PDD), whose structure is shown in Figure 2.1. The properties of these amorphous copolymers vary with the relative amounts of the comonomers. At present the two commercial grades of Teflon AF are AF-1600 and AF-2400 with glass transition temperatures of 160 and 240°C respectively. The variation of glass transition temperature with composition is shown in Figure 2.2. Thus AF-1600 and AF-2400 contain 64 and 83 mol % PDD, respectively. 

The dielectric constant of Teflon AF is the lowest of any known solid polymer, ranging from 1.89 to 1.93. (Figure 2.4) Increasing the amount of PDD in the copolymer as well as raising the temperature results in a lower dielectric... 

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