A fluorinated polymer suitable for deposition and capable of favorable metal patterning, is provided. A resin film containing such a fluorinated polymer as a material is provided. Further, a photoelectronic element having such a resin film in its structure is provided.

A fluorinated polymer which satisfies the following requirements (1) to (3): (1) the melting point is less than 200° C., or no melting point is observed, (2) the thermogravimetric loss rate when the temperature is increased at a temperature-increasing rate of 2° C./min under a pressure of 1×10.sup.−3 Pa, substantially reaches 100% at 400° C. or lower, (3) when the temperature is increased at a temperature-increasing rate of 2° C./min under a pressure of 1×10.sup.−3 Pa, the temperature width from a temperature at which the thermogravimetric loss rate is 10% to a temperature at which it is 90%, is within 200° C.

A fluorinated polymer suitable for deposition and capable of favorable metal patterning, is provided. A resin film containing such a fluorinated polymer as a material is provided. Further, a photoelectronic element having such a resin film in its structure is provided.

A fluorinated polymer which satisfies the following requirements (1) to (3): (1) the melting point is less than 200° C., or no melting point is observed, (2) the thermogravimetric loss rate when the temperature is increased at a temperature-increasing rate of 2° C./min under a pressure of 1×10.sup.−3 Pa, substantially reaches 100% at 400° C. or lower, (3) when the temperature is increased at a temperature-increasing rate of 2° C./min under a pressure of 1×10.sup.−3 Pa, the temperature width from a temperature at which the thermogravimetric loss rate is 10% to a temperature at which it is 90%, is within 200° C.

The present disclosure provides elastomer blends comprising mixtures of partially fluorinated elastomers, such as tetrafluoroethylene propylene elastomers (FEPM or TFEP) and fluorocarbon rubbers, such as vinylidene fluoride-based elastomers (FKM or FEP). The elastomer blends can be prepared using two-roll mills, internal mixers, or other mixing technique and can be molded into seals, gaskets, o-rings or other articles using extrusion, injection molding, compression molding or the like. The resultant elastomeric articles can provide good sealing performance, including at moderate or low temperatures, and exhibit good chemical compatibility and resistance when exposed to common wellbore environments. In some cases, the elastomer blends can provide performance characteristics previously only available from perfluorinated elastomers (FFKM), but without requiring the complex processing conditions associated with preparing perfluorinated elastomers.

The present disclosure provides elastomer blends comprising mixtures of partially fluorinated elastomers, such as tetrafluoroethylene propylene elastomers (FEPM or TFEP) and fluorocarbon rubbers, such as vinylidene fluoride-based elastomers (FKM or FEP). The elastomer blends can be prepared using two-roll mills, internal mixers, or other mixing technique and can be molded into seals, gaskets, o-rings or other articles using extrusion, injection molding, compression molding or the like. The resultant elastomeric articles can provide good sealing performance, including at moderate or low temperatures, and exhibit good chemical compatibility and resistance when exposed to common wellbore environments. In some cases, the elastomer blends can provide performance characteristics previously only available from perfluorinated elastomers (FFKM), but without requiring the complex processing conditions associated with preparing perfluorinated elastomers.

The invention relates to a method of polymerizing at least one monomer comprising a vinylidene fluoride monomer, the method comprising putting in contact the at least one monomer with a polymerization initiator -and an oxidizing agent, the polymerization initiator having the formula (I):

##STR00001##

wherein R.sub.f is a fluoroalkyl group comprising from 1 to 3 carbon atoms; and M.sup.x+ is chosen from a monovalent cation, or a divalent cation, or a trivalent cation, or a tetravalent cation.

The invention relates to a method of polymerizing at least one monomer comprising a vinylidene fluoride monomer, the method comprising putting in contact the at least one monomer with a polymerization initiator -and an oxidizing agent, the polymerization initiator having the formula (I):

##STR00001##

wherein R.sub.f is a fluoroalkyl group comprising from 1 to 3 carbon atoms; and M.sup.x+ is chosen from a monovalent cation, or a divalent cation, or a trivalent cation, or a tetravalent cation.

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.

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 fluoropolymer which includes polymerizing a fluoromonomer in an aqueous medium in the presence of a fluorine-containing diacyl peroxide represented by the formula (1): XRf.sup.aC(═O)OOC(═O)Rf.sup.bY (wherein X and Y are each independently H or F; and Rf.sup.a and Rf.sup.b are each independently a C1-C6 linear or branched perfluoroalkylene group optionally containing an ether bond) and a fluorine-containing carboxylic acid represented by the following formula (2): Z.sup.2Rf.sup.cCOOH (wherein Z.sup.2 is H or F; and Rf.sup.c is a C1-C3 linear or branched perfluoroalkylene group optionally containing an ether bond when Z.sup.2 is H, and Rf.sup.c is a C1 or C2 linear or branched perfluoroalkylene group optionally containing an ether bond when Z.sup.2 is F) to provide a fluoropolymer.

A method for producing a fluoropolymer which includes polymerizing a fluoromonomer in an aqueous medium in the presence of a fluorine-containing diacyl peroxide represented by the formula (1): XRf.sup.aC(═O)OOC(═O)Rf.sup.bY (wherein X and Y are each independently H or F; and Rf.sup.a and Rf.sup.b are each independently a C1-C6 linear or branched perfluoroalkylene group optionally containing an ether bond) and a fluorine-containing carboxylic acid represented by the following formula (2): Z.sup.2Rf.sup.cCOOH (wherein Z.sup.2 is H or F; and Rf.sup.c is a C1-C3 linear or branched perfluoroalkylene group optionally containing an ether bond when Z.sup.2 is H, and Rf.sup.c is a C1 or C2 linear or branched perfluoroalkylene group optionally containing an ether bond when Z.sup.2 is F) to provide a fluoropolymer.