Polymerization Studies Leading to High Strength Chemical Resistant Elastomers Serviceable at Temperature Extremes

摘要

Rhodium compounds were found to give good conversions of fluorinated dienes to polymers in aqueous emulsion systems. For example, a 51:49 copolymer (Tg -48 deg.) of 1,1,2-trifluorobutadiene and butadiene was prepared in this way in 59% conversion in 17 hours at 50C. Several of the copolymers are formed with monomer ratios approaching the feed ratios. Microstructure of these polymers has been examined in a preliminary way by means of infrared and n. m. r. measurements. Other catalyst and fluorinated-monomer combinations were screened for activity in homopolymerization and copolymerization. A number of fluorinated sulfenyl chloride-modified cis-polybutadienes and one rhodium initiated copolymer were prepared on a scale large enough for preliminary evaluation at the U. S. Army Natick Laboratories. (Author)