Polymer processing simplification

Abstract

A process for the preparation of a fluoroolefin polymer from an azeotropic mixture of monomers having a constant composition, the process including the step of: contacting in a reaction zone: (i) an initiator; and (ii) an azeotropic mixture of monomers including at least one fluoroolefin and, optionally, at least one ethylenically unsaturated comonomer capable of copolymerizing therewith; wherein the contacting is carried out at a temperature, pressure and length of time sufficient to produce the fluoroolefin polymer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process for the preparation of a fluoroolefin polymer, said process comprising the step of:
 contacting in a reaction zone:   an initiator; and   an azeotropic mixture of at least two monomers comprising at least one fluoroolefin and, optionally, at least one ethylenically unsaturated comonomer capable of copolymerizing therewith;   wherein said contacting is carried out at a temperature, pressure and length of time sufficient to produce said fluoroolefin polymer.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said reaction zone further comprises a solvent selected from the group consisting of: ethyl acetate, butylacetate, toluene, xylene, methyl ethyl ketone, 2-heptanone, 1-methoxy-2-propanol acetate, 1,1,1-trichloroethane and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said azeotropic mixture comprises at least two fluoroolefin monomers. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said fluoroolefin monomer is selected from the group consisting of a fluoroolefin represented by the formula:
   R 1 R 2 C═CR 3 R 4  
   
       wherein each of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4  is independently selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen, chloro, fluoro, hydroxy, alkoxy, alkoxycarbonyl, acyl, cyano, linear, branched or cyclic alkyl of 1-6 carbon atoms optionally substituted by at least one fluorine, aryl of 1-6 carbon atoms optionally substituted by at least one fluorine, with the proviso that at least one of the R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4  groups is either fluorine or a fluorine-containing group. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said fluoroolefin monomer is selected from the group consisting of CF 3 CF═CF 2 , CF 3 CH═CF 2 , CF 3 CF═CHF, CF 3 CH═CH 2 , CF 3 CF═CH 2 , cis- CF 3 CH═CFH, trans- CF 3 CH═CFH, CF 3 CF 2 CF═CF 2 , CF 3 CF 2 CH═CF 2 , CF 3 CF 2 CF═CHF, CF 3 CF 2 CH═CH 2 , CF 3 CF 2 CF═CH 2 , CF 3 CF 2 CF 2 CF═CF 2 , CF 3 CF 2 CF 2 CH═CF 2 , CF 3 CF 2 CF 2 CF═CHF, CF 3 CF 2 CF 2 CH═CH 2 , CF 3 CF 2 CF 2 CF═CH 2 , CF 3 CH═CHCF 3 , CF 3 CH═CFCF 3 , CF 3 CF═CFCF 3 , HOCH 2 CH═CHF, HOCH 2 CH═CF 2 , HOCH 2 CF═CH 2 , HOCH 2 CF═CHF, HOCH 2 CF═CF 2 , HOCH 2 CF═CH 2 , CF 3 CH═CHCl, CF 3 CC1═CH 2 , CF 3 CCl═CHF, CF 3 CC1═CF 2 , CF 3 CF═CHCl, CF 3 CH═CFCl, CF 2 ═CFCl, CF 2 ═CF 2 , CF 2 ═CH 2 , CFH═CH 2 , and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 5 , wherein said fluoroolefin monomer is selected from the group consisting of CF 3 CF═CF 2 , CF 3 CH═CF 2 , CF 3 CF═CHF, CF 3 CH═CH 2 , CF 3 CF═CH 2 , cis- CF 3 CH═CFH, trans- CF 3 CH═CFH, and CF 2 ═CFCl. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said ethylenically unsaturated comonomer is selected from the group consisting of: alkene of 2-8 carbon atoms, acrylate or methacrylate ester of 4 to 24 carbon atoms, acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, vinyl ether, styrene, alpha-methylstyrene, paramethyl styrene, allyl alcohol, methallyl alcohol, vinyl acetate, vinyl carboxylate of 5-24 carbon atoms, methyl ethyl ketone, and a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 7 , wherein said acrylate or methacrylate ester is selected from the group consisting of: methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, propyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, ethylhexylacrylate, methylmethacrylate, ethylmethacrylate, butylmethacrylate, ethylhexymethacrylate, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said fluoroolefin monomer is from about 30 wt % to about 70 wt % of the total weight of the polymer. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said ethylenically unsaturated comonomer is from about 70 wt % to about 30 wt % of the total weight of the polymer. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said azeotropic mixture of monomers has a constant composition. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said azeotropic mixture of monomers is introduced as a single feed into the reaction zone. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said contacting is carried out at a temperature from about 20° C. to about 65° C. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said contacting is carried out at a pressure from about 85 psig to about 260 psig. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said contacting is carried out at a length of time from about 6 hours to about 12 hours. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said initiator is selected from the group consisting of azobiscyanoacrylates, aliphatic peresters, aliphatic peroxides, aliphatic hydroperoxides, inorganic peroxides, inorganic persulfates, redox initiators, percarbonates, peroxydicarbonates, perhaloacetyl peroxides, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         17 . A homopolymer prepared by the process of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         18 . A copolymer prepared by the process of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         19 . A terpolymer prepared by the process of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         20 . A polymer blend comprising at least two polymers selected from the group consisting of: a homopolymer, copolymer, and terpolymer prepared by the process of  claim 1 .