Article | REF: AM3390 V1

Fluorinated polymers

Author: Jean-François BONNET

Publication date: July 10, 2004 | Lire en français

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AUTHOR

Jean-François BONNET: Sales agent, Kureha

INTRODUCTION

Update of the article by Claude TOURNUT (Atochem) published in May 1990.

Fluoropolymers are in a class of their own in the wide range of macromolecular compounds available to industry. Generally speaking, fluorine substitution of hydrogen atoms in a macromolecular chain improves thermal and chemical resistance, delays or inhibits flame propagation, lowers critical surface tension and enhances dielectric properties. Naturally, the greater the degree of substitution of hydrogen by fluorine, the greater the effect, reaching its maximum for polymers containing only carbon and fluorine. Fluorinated polymers are "specialties" manufactured on a relatively modest scale and reserved for applications in environments that destroy or degrade other polymers, or used because of some of their exceptional properties.

In what follows, we shall confine ourselves to fluoropolymers manufactured at the industrial or semi-industrial stage, i.e. fluoroplastics and fluoroelastomers.

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Fluorinated polymers

Poly(tetrafluoroethylene) or PTFE

Statistical and economic data

Worldwide consumption of fluoropolymers remains relatively low compared with that of other plastics and elastomers. However, these modest tonnages correspond to significant sales figures, due to the high price of fluoropolymers.

Sales prices in 2002 were approximately as follows for pellets (and about double that for semi-finished products):

References

(1) - STARKWEATHER (H.W. Jr.), WU (S.) - Symposium on Fluoropolymers Third Chemical Congress North America. - Toronto, 5-10 juin 1988.
(2) - MICHEL (W.) - Thermische Formgebung von modifizierten PTFE-Halbzeug. - Kunststoffe...

Also in our database

FONTANILLE (M.), VAIRON (J.-P.) - Polymérisation. - [A 3 040] Traité Plastiques et Composites (1994).

Standards

The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) has published a number of standards concerning both fluoropolymers themselves and certain semi-finished products made from them. The main standards are listed below. This standardization remains a reference, as Afnor or Iso standardizations are few in number; nevertheless, there are a few mentioned here too.