Abstract: The present invention provides a method of recovering a fluorinated acid surfactant or salt thereof from adsorbent particles to which said fluorinated acid surfactant has been adsorbed. The method comprises mixing adsorbent particles having adsorbed fluorinated acid surfactant or salt thereof with an alcohol and optionally an acid. The mixture is generally heated to cause esterification of the fluorinated acid surfactant or salt thereof with the alcohol so as to form an ester derivative of the fluorinated acid surfactant, distilling the mixture to form a distillate comprising the ester derivative, separating the ester derivative from the distillate and optionally feeding the remainder of the distillate back into the mixture.

Abstract: Fluorine-containing emulsifiers can be removed from fluoropolymer dispersions by adding to the dispersion a non ionic emulsifier, removing the fluorine-containing emulsifier by contact with an anion exchanger and separating the dispersion from the anion exchanger. The resulting dispersions can be concentrated and used for coating applications.

Abstract: A method of treating a fluorocarbon feedstock includes generating, in a high temperature zone, an electrical arc between at least one cathode and at least one anode, generating in the high temperature zone and by means of the electrical arc and a plasma gas, an upwardly burning thermal plasma having a tail flame, allowing a solid particulate fluorocarbon feedstock comprising at least on fluorocarbon compound to form a reactive thermal mixture with the thermal plasma tail flame, with the fluorocarbon compound dissociating into at least one fluorocarbon precursor or reactive species, and cooling the reactive thermal mixture to form, from the fluorocarbon precursor of reactive species, at least one more desirable fluorocarbon compound.

Abstract: Use of non-water-soluble organic fluorinated compounds, which are gaseous under the polymerization conditions and act as chain transfer agent in the gas phase, as explosion suppressors in the emulsion polymerization of tetrafluoroethylene.

Abstract: Aqueous microemulsions obtained from a perfluorinated alkane sulphonic or carboxylic acid or salt thereof, a liquid fluorinated monomer comprising a cure-site and optionally an inert liquid and highly fluorinated hydrocarbon compound. The aqueous microemulsion may be formed by mixing together water, a perfluorinated alkane sulphonic or carboxylic acid or salt thereof, optionally an inert liquid and highly fluorinated hydrocarbon compound and a liquid fluorinated monomer having a cure-site.

Abstract: Provided is a process for making a copolymer of fluorinated olefin and hydrocarbon olefin selected from ethylene, propylene and mixtures thereof, the process comprising a substantially emulsifier free aqueous emulsion polymerization of said fluorinated olefin and said hydrocarbon olefin, optionally in the presence of fluoropolymer particles and/or fluorinated liquid in a form suitable to improve the copolymerization of fluorinated olefin and hydrocarbon olefin.

Abstract: A curable fluoroelastomer composition for preparing a perfluoroelastomer. The composition includes; (1) a perfluoropolymer having one or more cure-sites selected from a halogen capable of participating in peroxide cure reaction and/or nitrile groups; (2) an organic peroxide and/or a compound capable of effecting curing of the perfluoropolymer through said nitrile groups; and (3) optionally a polyunsaturated coagent. The perfluoropolymer in the composition is essentially free of ionic end groups and the total amount of metal cations in the composition is not more than 10 ?g/g perfluoropolymer. The perfluoroelastomers may be obtained from curing the composition in a sufficiently low amount of metal cations so as to make the fluoroelastomer suitable for use in the semi-conductor industry.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of recovering a fluorinated acid surfactant or salt thereof from adsorbent particles to which said fluorinated acid surfactant has been adsorbed. The method comprises mixing adsorbent particles having adsorbed fluorinated acid surfactant or salt thereof with an alcohol and optionally an acid. The mixture is generally heated to cause esterification of the fluorinated acid surfactant or salt thereof with the alcohol so as to form an ester derivative of the fluorinated acid surfactant, distilling the mixture to form a distillate comprising the ester derivative, separating the ester derivative from the distillate and optionally feeding the remainder of the distillate back into the mixture.

Abstract: Fluorine-containing emulsifiers can be removed from fluoropolymer dispersions by adding to the dispersion a non ionic emulsifier, removing the fluorine-containing emulsifier by contact with an anion exchanger and separating the dispersion from the anion exchanger. The resulting dispersions can be concentrated and used for coating applications.

Abstract: A fluoropolymer suitable for the preparation of a fluoroelastomer. The fluoropolymer generally includes repeating units derived from the monomers tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, vinylidene fluoride, chlorotrifluoroethylene and optionally one or more repeating units from fluorinated monomers other than tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, vinylidene fluoride and chlorotrifluoroethylene.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process of reducing the amount of fluorinated emulsifier in an aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion by contacting the aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion with an anion exchange resin in a non-fixed resin bed, the process comprising: (a) mixing the aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion with an effective amount of a surfactant so as to stabilize the fluoropolymer dispersion while being contacted with the anion exchange resin; (b) contacting the aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion with an anion exchange resin by agitating the aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion with an effective amount of anion exchange resin for a time of less than 4 hours to reduce the amount of fluorinated emulsifier in the aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion to a desired level; and (c) separating the anion exchange resin from the aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion.

Abstract: Aqueous dispersions of fluoropolymers obtained by emulsion polymerization and containing at least one fluoropolymer A) with an average particle size (number-average) of at least 200 nm and at least one fluoropolymer B) with an average particle size (number-average) of not more than 100 nm, one of components A) and B) being a thermoplastic and the other component not being processable from the melt, and the entire dispersion having a non-monomodal number distribution of particle diameter, are suitable for saturating, impregnating surfaces, for example of fibers or sheet-like articles made from fibers or porous materials, in particular for coating glass-fiber fabrics as well as for formulating metal-coating systems.

Abstract: The present invention provides an aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion comprising a melt processible fluoropolymer in an amount of at least 25% by weight based on the weight of the aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion and a fluorinated surfactant having a molecular weight of not more than 1000 g/mol in an amount of not more than 100 ppm, preferably less than 50 ppm, more preferably less than 25 ppm and most preferably less than 10 ppm based on the weight of fluoropolymer solids or being free of said fluorinated surfactant. The aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion has a conductivity of at least 200 ?S/cm, preferably at least 500 ?S/cm and more preferably at least 1000 ?S/cm.

Abstract: Fluorine-containing emulsifiers can be removed from fluoropolymer dispersions by adding to the dispersion a nonionic emulsifier, removing the fluorine-containing emulsifier by contact with an anion exchanger and separating the dispersion from the anion exchanger. The resulting dispersions can be concentrated and used for coating applications.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a process for making a fluoropolymer having nitrile endgroups. The process comprises a free radical polymerization of one or more fluorinated monomers in the presence of a nitrile group containing salt or a nitrile group containing pseudohalogen compound.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process of reducing the amount of fluorinated emulsifier in an aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion by contacting the aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion with an anion exchange resin in a non-fixed resin bed, the process comprising: (a) mixing the aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion with an effective amount of a surfactant so as to stabilize the fluoropolymer dispersion while being contacted with the anion exchange resin; (b) contacting the aqueous fluoropolyrner dispersion with an anion exchange resin by agitating the aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion with an effective amount of anion exchange resin for a time of less than 4 hours to reduce the amount of fluorinated emulsifier in the aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion to a desired level; and (c) separating the anion exchange resin from the aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion.

Abstract: A fluoropolymer having a reduced amount of polar end groups. The fluoropolymer is produced by free radical polymerization of fluorinated monomers and the initiation of the polymerization is carried out in the presence of a chloride salt. Polar end groups include hydroxy groups and ionized or ionizable end groups. Examples of ionized or ionizable end groups include acid groups and salts thereof such as sulfonic acid and salts thereof, —CH2—OSO3H groups, sulfates and carbonyl containing end groups such as carboxylic and carboxylate groups. Due to the presence of chloride salt at the initiation of the free radical polymerization, CF2Cl end groups are formed instead of the polar end groups. As a result, a fluoropolymer is obtained that has improved processibility and heat resistance.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for removing steam-volatile fluorinated emulsifiers in their free acid form, from aqueous fluoropolymer dispersions. The process comprises adding a nonionic emulsifier, to the aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion and, at a pH-value of the aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion below 5, removing steam-volatile fluorinated emulsifier by distillation until the concentration of steam-volatile fluorinated emulsifier in the dispersion reaches the desired value.

Abstract: Aqueous microemulsions obtained from a perfluorinated alkane sulphonic or carboxylic acid or salt thereof, a liquid fluorinated monomer comprising a cure-site and optionally an inert liquid and highly fluorinated hydrocarbon compound. The aqueous microemulsion may be formed by mixing together water, a perfluorinated alkane sulphonic or carboxylic acid or salt thereof, optionally an inert liquid and highly fluorinated hydrocarbon compound and a liquid fluorinated monomer having a cure-site.

Abstract: The present invention provides an aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion comprising a melt processible fluoropolymer in an amount of at least 25% by weight based on the weight of the aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion and a fluorinated surfactant having a molecular weight of not more than 1000 g/mol in an amount of not more than 100 ppm, preferably less than 50 ppm, more preferably less than 25 ppm and most preferably less than 10 ppm based on the weight of fluoropolymer solids or being free of said fluorinated surfactant. The aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion has a conductivity of at least 200 82 S/cm, preferably at least 500 &mgr;S/cm and more preferably at least 1000 &mgr;S/cm.