The invention pertains to a process for manufacturing a polymer electrolyte separator based on a fluoropolymer hybrid organic/inorganic composite, said process comprising: (i) providing a mixture of: at least one fluoropolymer comprising recurring units derived from at least one (meth)acrylic monomer [monomer (MA)] of formula (I): wherein each of R1, R2, R3, equal or different from each other, is independently a hydrogen atom or a C.sub.1-C.sub.3 hydrocarbon group, and R.sub.OH is a C.sub.1-C.sub.5 hydrocarbon moiety comprising at least one hydroxyl group [polymer (F)]; at least one metal compound [compound (M)] of formula: X.sub.4-mAY.sub.m wherein m is an integer from 1 to 4, A is a metal selected from the group consisting of Si, Ti and Zr, Y is a hydrolysable group, X is a hydrocarbon group, optionally comprising one or more functional groups; and at least one electrolyte (E); and at least one liquid plasticizer (S); (ii) reacting at least a fraction of hydroxyl groups of the ROH groups of said monomer (MA) of said polymer (F) with at least a fraction of said compound (M), so as to obtain a grafted polymer comprising pendant Y.sub.m-1AX.sub.4-m groups, with m, Y, A and X having same meaning as above detailed; (iii) hydrolyzing and/or polycondensing compound (M) and/or pendant Y.sub.m-1AX.sub.4-m groups, as above detailed to yield a liquid mixture comprising fluoropolymer hybrid organic/inorganic composite comprising inorganic domains and incorporating solvent (S) and electrolyte (E); and (iv) casting a film from the liquid mixture obtained in (iii); (v) drying the film obtained in (iv) for obtaining the polymer electrolyte separator. ##STR00001##

Methods for forming a laminate are provided. The method provides a highly aligned block copolymer without orientation defects, coordination number defects distance defects and the like on a substrate, thereby providing a laminate which can be effectively applied to the production of various patterned substrates, and a method for producing a patterned substrate using the same.

To provide a fluorinated copolymer dispersion, whereby it is possible to obtain an article being excellent in water-and-oil repellency and less susceptible to a decrease in the water-and-oil repellency by alkali, etc. and which presents little impact to the environment by an organic solvent; a method for its production; and an article which is excellent in water-and-oil repellency and is less susceptible to a decrease in the water-and-oil repellency by alkali, etc. The fluorinated copolymer dispersion comprises an aqueous medium and a fluorinated copolymer dispersed in the aqueous medium, wherein the fluorinated copolymer has units based on the following monomer (a) and units based on the following monomer (b), the proportion of the units based on the monomer (a) being from 20 to 60 mol % to all units constituting the fluorinated copolymer, and the fluorinated copolymer has a number average molecular weight of from 10,000 to 100,000: Monomer (a): a compound represented by CH.sub.2CHR.sup.f (R.sup.f is a C.sub.1-8 perfluoroalkyl group); and Monomer (b): a monomer copolymerizable with the monomer (a).

To provide a fluorinated copolymer dispersion, whereby it is possible to obtain an article being excellent in water-and-oil repellency and less susceptible to a decrease in the water-and-oil repellency by alkali, etc. and which presents little impact to the environment by an organic solvent; a method for its production; and an article which is excellent in water-and-oil repellency and is less susceptible to a decrease in the water-and-oil repellency by alkali, etc. The fluorinated copolymer dispersion comprises an aqueous medium and a fluorinated copolymer dispersed in the aqueous medium, wherein the fluorinated copolymer has units based on the following monomer (a) and units based on the following monomer (b), the proportion of the units based on the monomer (a) being from 20 to 60 mol % to all units constituting the fluorinated copolymer, and the fluorinated copolymer has a number average molecular weight of from 10,000 to 100,000: Monomer (a): a compound represented by CH.sub.2CHR.sup.f (R.sup.f is a C.sub.1-8 perfluoroalkyl group); and Monomer (b): a monomer copolymerizable with the monomer (a).

A powder coating material capable of forming a coating film that is excellent in weather resistance, processability and impact resistance and that improves corrosion resistance of a substrate (in particular, a substrate made of aluminum or of an aluminum alloy), wherein the powder coating material contains a powder of a resin composition, wherein the resin composition contains a fluorinated polymer (A) having a number average molecular weight of from 10,000 to 50,000 and a fluorine content of at least 10 mass %, a resin (B) having a fluorine content of less than 10 mass % or containing no fluorine atom, a curing agent, a plasticizer having a melting point of from 50 to 150 C. and core-shell particles, and wherein the absolute value of the difference between the melting point of the plasticizer and the glass transition temperature of a polymer of a shell portion in the core-shell particles is within 30 C. and the content of the plasticizer is from 5 to 25 parts by mass based on 100 parts by mass of the fluorinated polymer (A).

The present invention pertains to a process for the manufacture of a crosslinkable fluoropolymer, to said crosslinkable fluoropolymer and the crosslinked fluoropolymer obtainable therefrom, to a film comprising said crosslinkable fluoropolymer or said crosslinked fluoropolymer and to uses of said crosslinked fluoropolymer film in various applications.

The present invention pertains to a process for the manufacture of a crosslinkable fluoropolymer, to said crosslinkable fluoropolymer and the crosslinked fluoropolymer obtainable therefrom, to a film comprising said crosslinkable fluoropolymer or said crosslinked fluoropolymer and to uses of said crosslinked fluoropolymer film in various applications.

The invention relates fluorocopolymer compositions for use in coating wires and cables, the use of the coating compositions, and to a substrate coated with the composition. The invention provides a fluorocopolymer that comprises hydrofluoroolefin monomers, vinyl ester monomers and/or halogen-containing monomers.

Membranes having a permselective active layer of a copolymerized perfluorinated monomer and an non-fluorinated alkylvinylester monomer demonstrate superior selective permeability performance for separating gas mixtures compared to membranes of exclusively perfluorinated polymers. Preferred active layer compositions are copolymers of perfluoro-2,2-dimethyl-1,3 dioxole (PDD) copolymerized with an alkylvinyl ester such as vinyl acetate, and vinyl pivalate, and with alkylvinyl esters that are substantially hydrolyzed to provide copolymerized vinyl alcohol functionality. The membranes can have a thin, high diffusion rate, gutter layer of a fluorinated polymer highly permeable to nitrogen positioned between the active layer and a porous support layer. A novel copolymer effective in selectively permeable membranes is a copolymer of PDD and an alkylvinyl ester compound having the formula H.sub.2CCHOC(O)R.sup.1 in which R.sup.1 is a linear or branched alkyl group of from 2 to 5 carbon atoms.

The invention relates to novel linear, semi-crystalline fluoropolymers containing 0.5 to 25 mole percent of at least one vinyl ester monomer unit. At least 40 mole percent of the vinyl ester monomer units are present in the copolymer as single monomer units (not diads or triads or greater) between two fluoromonomer units. The invention also relates to a process for forming the fluoromonomers/vinyl ester copolymer. The fluoropolymer of the invention may be used in applications benefiting from a functional fluoropolymers including as a binder or coating in batteries, or for use in forming hydrophilic membranes and hollow fibers.