The invention relates to aqueous dispersions of fluoropolymers comprising recurring units derived from vinylidene fluoride (VDF) in an amount of from 60% to 82% in moles and recurring units derived from trifluoroethylene (TrFE) in an amount of from 18% to 40% in moles, with respect to the total moles of recurring units, said fluoropolymers possessing an improved thermodynamic ordered structure in the ferroelectric phase.

The invention relates to aqueous dispersions of fluoropolymers comprising recurring units derived from vinylidene fluoride (VDF) in an amount of from 60% to 82% in moles and recurring units derived from trifluoroethylene (TrFE) in an amount of from 18% to 40% in moles, with respect to the total moles of recurring units, said fluoropolymers possessing an improved thermodynamic ordered structure in the ferroelectric phase.

The present invention relates to methods of producing polymerized 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (poly-1234yf) using one or a combination of the techniques provided herein. In certain embodiments, such techniques include (1) emulsion polymerization; (2) suspension polymerization; (3) solution polymerization; (4) supercritical carbon dioxide polymerization; (5) transition metal catalyzed polymerization; (6) radiation or thermal polymerization; and combinations thereof. A wide array of initiators, catalysts, and solvents may be used in such polymerization processes and may include, but are not limited to, (1) radical initiators; (2) ionic initiators; and (3) single-site and multiple-site catalysts.

The present invention relates to methods of producing polymerized 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (poly-1234yf) using one or a combination of the techniques provided herein. In certain embodiments, such techniques include (1) emulsion polymerization; (2) suspension polymerization; (3) solution polymerization; (4) supercritical carbon dioxide polymerization; (5) transition metal catalyzed polymerization; (6) radiation or thermal polymerization; and combinations thereof. A wide array of initiators, catalysts, and solvents may be used in such polymerization processes and may include, but are not limited to, (1) radical initiators; (2) ionic initiators; and (3) single-site and multiple-site catalysts.

The present invention is directed to partially fluorinated copolymers and the production thereof. More specifically, the copolymers, which are preferably produced by a solution polymerization process, preferably have at least three units, the first unit selected from 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene and 1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene, the second unit having a polymerized monomer selected from the vinyl esters and vinyl ethers, and the third unit having a polymerized monomer derived from a hydroxyl group-containing vinyl ether. The resulting copolymer is environmentally friendly, has favorable molecular weight characteristics, and may be shipped economically in high concentration.

An aqueous dispersion comprising a tetrafluoroethylene core-shell polymer and at least one surfactant corresponding to the general formula R.sub.10-[CH.sub.2CH.sub.20].sub.n[R.sub.20].sub.m-R.sub.3 wherein R.sub.1 represents a linear or branched aliphatic hydrocarbon group having at least 8 carbon atoms, preferably 8 to 18 carbon atoms, R2 represents an alkylene having 3 carbon atoms, R3 represents hydrogen, a C1-C3 alkyl group, or a C1-C3 hydroxyalkyl group, n has a value of 0 to 40, m has a value of 0 to 40 and the sum of n+m is at least 2, wherein the dispersion is free of fluorinated emulsifiers or contains them in an amount of less than 50 ppm based on the weight of the dispersion and wherein the core-shell polymer contains an outer shell of tetrafluoroethylene homopolymer. Further provided are methods of making the dispersions, coating compositions comprising the dispersions and article coated by the coating composition.

A method for producing a perfluoroelastomer, which includes carrying out polymerization of a perfluoromonomer in an aqueous medium in the presence of a polymer (1) having a number average molecular weight of 0.3×10.sup.4 or more to provide a perfluoroelastomer, the polymer (1) containing a polymerized unit (1) derived from a monomer represented by the following general formula (1):

CX.sub.2═CY(—CZ.sub.2—O—Rf-A)   (1)

wherein X, Y, Z, Rf and A are as defined herein, with the proviso that at least one of X, Y, and Z contains a fluorine atom.

A method of producing a fluorine-containing compound is a method of producing a compound (30) having partial structure (3) by an insertion reaction of compound (20) into compound (10) that has partial structure (1), in the presence of an ionic catalyst formed from a specific monovalent anion and a counter cation. In the formulas, * represents a bonding site, and X.sup.1 and R.sup.1 to R.sup.4 each independently represents a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom, or an organic group having a carbon number of 1 to 20 which may have a substituent.

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Embossing resins, methods of manufacturing such resins, and electrokinetic display system, which includes display cells containing such resins. The resins include a fluoropolymer in weight percentage 5%-60%, a difunctional diluent in weight percentage 0-30%, a monofunctional diluent in weight percentage 0-40%, a urethane diacrylate or functionalized nanoscale material, e.g., a functionalized urethane material, in weight percentage 5-50%, a photoinitiator in weight percentage 0.5-5%, and a surfactant in weight percentage less than 0.5%. The difunctional diluent may be Hexanediol Diacrylate, and the monofunctional diluent may be a monofunctional hydrocarbon. The resins are made by identifying a target index of refraction for a cured state thereof, and combining together, by weight percentage, the constituent components to produce the liquid state version of the embossing resin having a desired composite index of refraction.

Described herein is method of making branched perfluorinated compounds, specifically (CF.sub.3).sub.2CFCF(CF.sub.3)OCF(CF.sub.3)C(═O)F and (CF.sub.3).sub.2CFCF(CF.sub.3)OCF═CF.sub.2. Also disclosed herein is a fluoropolymer derived from the branched perfluorovinyl ether monomer and methods of making the fluoropolymer.