PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF METHYL TRIFLUOROACRYLATE ALPHA-OLEFIN COPOLYMER AND ITS HYDROLYZED COPOLYMER

Physical and chemical properties of alternating copolymers of methyl α,β,β‐trifluoroacrylate (MTFA; CF2CFCO2CH3) with α‐olefins such as ethylene, propylene, and isobutylene and their hydrolyzed copolymers were investigated. The original ester‐type copolymers are amorphous and hydrophobic. The copolymers, except for the MTFA–isobutylene copolymer, were found to be easily hydrolyzed in boiled NaOH–methanol aqueous solution to give hydrophilic fluoropolymers which contain nearly theoretical amounts of carboxyl groups. No chain scission takes place during the hydrolysis. The decomposition temperature of the original ester‐type copolymers is in the range of 347° to 379°C in nitrogen atmosphere, and the glass transition temperature is in the range of 21° to 76°C. Two steps of weight decrease, at around 100°C due to the removal of absorbed water and around 250°C due to the decomposition, were observed in the TGA curve of the hydrolyzed acid‐type copolymers. Both ester‐ and acid‐type copolymers were crosslinked by electron beam irradiation, while the MTFA–isobutylene copolymer was degraded. The tensile strength of the copolymers is in the range of 190 to 450 kg/cm2. Copyright © 1979 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.