SOLUTION PROPERTIES OF PHOSPHONITRILIC FLUOROELASTOMERS

A series of phosphonitrilic fluoroelastomers which have excellent solvent resistance and low temperature flexibility, and which perform well under a broad range of service conditions, have been developed. In the investigation reported in this paper, the solution properties of one of these polymers were studied more extensively in order to develop suitable quality control procedures and to gain a better understanding of the polymer structure. Solvents for these procedures were established, fractionation procedures were developed, and intrinsic viscosity, osmotic pressure, and light-scattering measurements were conducted. Authors found this polymer to have a very broad MWD. And, although fractionation by mol. wt was effected, the fractions retained a broad MWD. The data do not indicate significant branching for this polymer. As a result of studies, the authors have theorized that a supermolecular structure may be present in this polymer.