Fluoroelastomers

Abstract

A fluoroelastomer comprising a copolymer of fluoroolefin monomers selected from one or more of the group consisting of 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene, 1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene and 1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene, and ethylenically unsaturated co-monomers; wherein the fluoroelastomer has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of from about −60° C. to about 53° C. A process of making the fluoroelastomer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fluoroelastomer comprising a copolymer comprising a) fluoroolefin monomers selected from one or more of the group consisting of 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene, 1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene and 1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene, and b) ethylenically unsaturated co-monomers; wherein the fluoroelastomer has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of from about −60° C. to about 53° C. 
     
     
         2 . A fluoroelastomer consisting essentially of a copolymer comprising a) fluoroolefin monomers selected from one or more of the group consisting of 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene, 1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene and 1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene, and b) ethylenically unsaturated co-monomers; wherein the fluoroelastomer has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of from about −60° C. to about 53° C. 
     
     
         3 . The fluoroelastomer of  claim 1 , wherein the ethylenically unsaturated co-monomers are selected from one or more of the group consisting of ethylene, propene, butylene, cyclopentene, cycloheptene, cyclooctene and hexafluoropropylene. 
     
     
         4 . The fluoroelastomer of  claim 3 , wherein all the ethylenically unsaturated co-monomers together are present in an amount of from about 30 to about 95 mole percent of all the monomers of the copolymer. 
     
     
         5 . The fluoroelastomer of  claim 4 , wherein the mole ratio of all the fluoroolefin monomers together to all the ethylenically unsaturated co-monomers together is from about 1:0.8 to about 1:4.3. 
     
     
         6 . The fluoroelastomer of  claim 5 , wherein the copolymer comprises curing site monomers. 
     
     
         7 . The fluoroelastomer of  claim 6 , wherein the curing site monomers are selected from one or more of the group consisting of iodo-containing compounds, bromo-containing compounds, and iodobromo-containing compounds. 
     
     
         8 . The fluoroelastomer of  claim 7 , wherein all the curing site monomers together are present in an amount of from about 0.02 to about 2 mole percent of all the monomers of the copolymer. 
     
     
         9 . The fluoroelastomer of  claim 7 , wherein the iodo-containing compounds are selected from one or more of the group consisting of octafluoro-1,4-diiodobutane, diiodomethane, 1,2-diiodoethane, 1,3-diiodo-n-propane, 1,3-diiodoperfluoropropane, 1,3-diiodo-2-chloroperfluopropane, 1,4-diiodoperfluobutane, 1,6-diiodoperfluorohexane, 1,8-diiodoperfluorooctane, 1,12-diiodoperfluorododecane, and 1,16-diioperfluorohexadecane. 
     
     
         10 . The fluoroelastomer of  claim 7 , wherein the bromo-containing compounds are selected from one or more of the group consisting of CF 2 Br 2 , BrCF 2 CF 2 Br, CF 3 CFBrCF 2 Br, and BrCF 2 CF 2 CF 2 Br. 
     
     
         11 . The fluoroelastomer of  claim 7 , wherein the iodobromo-containing compounds are selected from one or more of the group consisting of 2-bromo-4-iodoperfluorobutene-1,3-bromo-4-iodoperfluorobutene-1,1-bromo-2-iodoperfluoroethane, 1-bromo-3-iodoperfluoropropane, 1-bromo-4-iodoperfluorobutane, 2-bromo-3-iodoperfluoro-butane, 3,4-dibromo-1-iodo-1,1,2,2,4,4-hexafluorobutane, and 3-bromo-4-iodo-perfluorobutene-1,2-bromo-4-iodoperfluorobutene-1. 
     
     
         12 . A process of making the fluoroelastomer of  claim 1  comprising a step of polymerizing the fluoroolefin monomers with the ethylenically unsaturated co-monomers via an emulsion polymerization process.