Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for using certain hydrofluoroethers (HFEs) as low temperature heat transfer media in secondary loop refrigeration systems. These materials exhibit a low, somewhat linear Temperature Difference Factor over the temperature range of -15.degree. C. to -65.degree. C., making them ideal for use as low temperature heat transfer media. The HFEs of the present invention are nonflammable, nontoxic, environmentally benign, and have a high heat transfer capacity and low viscosity over the required operating temperatures. Furthermore, since these materials have high boiling points and low freezing points, they are not prone to phase changes over the required operating temperatures, and do not require pressurized systems.

Abstract: This invention provides durably hydrophilic, thermoplastic fiber comprising a thermoplastic polymer, such as polyamide, polyurethane, or polyolefin, e.g., polypropylene, and a mixture of: (a) one or more fluoroaliphatic group-containing nonionic surfactants and (b) one or more nonionic, non-fluorinated, polyoxyethylene group-containing surfactants that contain between 20 and 80 weight percent polyoxyethylene. The mixture of the surfactants (a) and (b) is present in the fiber in an amount sufficient to impart durable hydrophilicity to the fiber at its surface. Durably hydrophilic films and durably hydrophilic fabrics and webs constructed from said fibers are also disclosed.

Abstract: This invention provides perfluoro(alkoxycycloalkane) carbonyl fluoride compounds wherein, pendant from the fluorinated ring, are from 2 to 5 perfluoroalkoxy groups having from 1 to 4, preferably 1 to 2, carbon atoms with the proviso that when one or more of the perfluoroalkoxy groups contain from 3 to 4 carbon atoms, there are no more than 3 pendant groups.In yet another aspect, this invention provides aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) compositions comprising one or more perfluoro(alkoxycycloalkane) carbonyl group-containing surfactants and one or more water-soluble fluorine-free surfactants selected from the group consisting of nonionic hydrocarbon-containing surfactants with a hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) value greater than or equal to about 10 and ionic hydrocarbon-containing surfactants having a carbon chain length containing inclusively from about 6 to about 10 carbon atoms.

Abstract: This invention provides a curable fluoroelastomer composition comprising: (A) a fluorine-containing polymer or a blend of fluorine-containing polymers each comprising interpolymerized units derived from one or more fluorine-containing ethylenically unsaturated monomers; (B) an aromatic polyhydroxy crosslinking agent; (C) at least one organo-onium compound; and (D) a monohydroxyfunctional phenol. The compositions provide for a method of improving scorch safety of curable fluoroelastomer compositions.

Abstract: Briefly, in one aspect, this invention provides an improved alkylation process for the preparation of primary and secondary hydrofluoroether compounds, said process comprising:(1) combining in a polar, aprotic solvent:a) a fluorinated carbonyl-containing compound;b) an anhydrous source of fluoride ion;c) a tertiary or aromatic amine; andd) optionally, an effective amount of a phase transfer catalyst;(2) contacting the resulting mixture with an alkylating agent; and(3) recovering hydrofluoroether from the resulting product mixture.

Abstract: A compound having the formula: ##STR1## where A.sup.- is a counterion; R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and R.sup.4, independently, comprise (a) a non-fluorinated alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, or aralkyl group; (b) an onium-containing group; or (c) a group having the formula --(CH.sub.2).sub.n --Y--R.sup.5 in which n is at least two; Y is a spacer arm comprising a --CH.sub.2 --, --O--, --OCH.sub.2 --, --S--, --SO.sub.2 --, or --Z--SO.sub.2 -- group; Z is an --R.sup.6 --O--, --N(R.sup.7)-- group, or --N(H)--; R.sup.6 is a substituted or unsubstituted phenylene group; R.sup.7 is H or a non-fluorinated alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, or alkaryl group; and R.sup.5 is a fluorinated group, perfluorinated group, or combination thereof, with the proviso that (i) at least one of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and R.sup.4 comprises a group having the formula --(CH.sub.2).sub.n --Y--R.sup.5 ; and (ii) the total number of fluorine atoms in said compound is at least 5.

Abstract: This invention provides curable fluoroelastomer compositions comprising: (a) a fluorine-containing polymer or blend of fluorine-containing polymers each comprising interpolymerized units derived from one or more fluorine-containing ethylenically unsaturated monomers; (b) at least one organo-onium compound such as those selected from the group consisting of ammonium, arsonium, phosphonium, stibonium, amino-phosphonium, phosphorane (e.g. triarylphosphorane), iminium, and sulfonium compounds; and (c) one or more aryl, allyl or alkyl carbonate-blocked compound as a crosslinking agents. Methods of curing fluoroelastomer compositions, and articles made therefrom are also described.

Abstract: This invention provides compositions suitable for treating fibrous substrates to render them durably resistant to dry soil and durably repellent to water and oil. One composition is an aqueous emulsion comprising: a dry soil resistant and water and oil repellent fluorochemical treatment and an effective amount of one or more fluorochemical surfactants wherein the surfactants comprising one or two fluorochemical groups and one or two water-solubilizing polar groups. Another composition is an aqueous emulsion comprising: a dry soil resistant and water and oil repellent fluorochemical treatment; an effective amount of one or more fluorochemical surfactants wherein the surfactants comprising one or two fluorochemical groups and one or two water-solubilizing polar groups; and one or more non-fluorinated additives.

Abstract: This invention provides a melt-processable composition comprising, in admixture: (1) one or more melt-processable thermoplastic hydrocarbon polymers as the major component of the composition by weight, and, as a minor component of the composition by weight, (2) an effective amount of a chemically-resistant, fluoropolymer process aid to improve the processability of the composition. The fluoropolymer process aid contains at least about 50 weight percent of fluorine and comprises one or more fluoropolymers which are essentially completely ethylenically saturated.

Abstract: Fluorocarbon elastomer gum is compounded with fluorinated ether compositions, the resulting compounded gum is shaped and heated to form a cured shaped article such as automotive fuel line hose or O-ring.

Abstract: This invention provides compositions for treating fibrous substrates to render those substrates durably repellent to water and oil and durably resistant to dry soil comprising a fluorochemical polymer formed by: (a) reacting a tri- or higher order isocyanate with a fluorochemical alcohol; (b) reacting the resulting product with an amount of water sufficient to react with between 5 and 50% of the isocyanate groups present in the product compound; and (c) thereafter reacting the product with a difunctional poly(oxyalkylene)-containing material.

Abstract: A lubricating composition containing about 0.1-10 weight percent of a perfluoropolyether lubricant containing perfluoropolyether molecules having at least one hydrogen-containing end group per molecule, and about 99.9-90 weight percent of a liquid, perfluorinated, nonaromatic cyclic organic solvent or mixture of such solvents is provided.

Abstract: This invention provides a fluoropolymer dispersion useful for coating applications, The dispersion is a homogeneous and non-ozone depleting dispersion comprising a lubricious fluoropolymer, an inert perfluorinated liquid, a polar solvent, and an effective amount of a surface active agent selected from the group consisting of:a. perfluoroaliphatic amidoalkanols;b. polymerized products formed from the reaction of a mixture comprising a hydrophilic monomer and a monomer of the general formula: ##STR1## wherein p and q are integers between 1 and 4 inclusive, x and y are integers between 0 and 4 inclusive, m is 1 or 2, n is an integer between 3 and 10 inclusive, X' is either a methyl group or a single hydrogen atom, g is 0 or 1, and Q is a sulfonamido constituent group according to the formula: ##STR2## wherein R.sup.

Abstract: A method for increasing the adhesion of a first layer comprising fluoropolymer to a second layer comprising a melt-processable, substantially non-fluorinated polymer is disclosed. The method comprises mixing, preferably in a melt, an aliphatic di- or polyamine of less than 1,000 molecular weight with the melt-processable, substantially non-fluorinated polymer. The resulting multi-layer compositions and articles comprising the composition are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for increasing the adhesion of a first layer comprising fluoropolymer to a second layer comprising a hydrocarbon polymer is disclosed. The method comprises coating an aliphatic di- or polyamine of less than 1,000 molecular weight onto at least one of the layers. The resulting multi-layer compositions and articles comprising the composition are also disclosed.

Abstract: A curable composition that includes (a) at least one curable polymer comprising interpolymerized units derived from vinylidene fluoride; and (b) at least one cure accelerator comprising a silyl-functional onium salt, and a method for curing such compositions.

Abstract: This invention provides a curable fluoroelastomer composition comprising:(a) a fluorine-containing polymer or blend of fluorine-containing polymers each comprising interpolymerized units derived from one or more fluorine-containing ethylenically-unsaturated monomers;(b) a crosslinking agent; and(c) an acid functional organo-onium compound.

Abstract: A method for increasing the adhesion of a first layer comprising fluoroplastic to a second layer comprising a peroxide-curable hydrocarbon elastomer is disclosed. The method comprises adding a primary-amine containing unsaturated compound or polymer of less than 10,000 molecular weight to the hydrocarbon elastomer layer. The resulting multi-layer compositions and articles comprising the composition are also disclosed.

Abstract: This invention provides an improved method of leaching precious and base metal values from ore comprising contacting a metal-bearing ore or ore concentrate with an oxidizing gas solution comprising a solution of an oxidizing gas dissolved in a perfluorinated liquid, said contact being made prior to or during extraction of the precious or base metal from the ore. In another aspect, this invention provides a method of destroying cyanide from a cyanide-containing solution comprising contacting said solution with a solution of an oxidizing gas dissolved in a perfluorinated liquid.

Abstract: A compound having the formula: ##STR1## where Q is an onium ion; A.sup.- is a counterion; R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and R.sup.4, independently, comprise (a) a non-fluorinated alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, or aralkyl group; (b) an onium-containing group; or (c) a group having the formula --(CH.sub.2).sub.n --Y--R.sup.5 in which n is at least two; Y is a spacer arm comprising a --CH.sub.2 --, --O--, --OCH.sub.2 --, --S--, --SO.sub.2 --, or --Z--SO.sub.2-- group; Z is an --R.sup.6 --O--, --N(R.sup.7)--, or --N(H)-- group; R.sup.6 is a substituted or unsubstituted phenylene group; R.sup.7 is a non-fluorinated alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, or alkaryl group; and R.sup.5 is a fluorinated group, perfluorinated group, or combination thereof, with the proviso that (i) at least one of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and R.sup.4 comprises a group having the formula --(CH.sub.2).sub.n --Y--R.sup.5 ; (ii) the total number of fluorine atoms in said compound is at least 5; and (iii) when Q is a sulfonium ion, there is no R.sup.4 group.