Fluorinated (Co)Polymers: Synthesis, Properties, and Applications

Abstract

AbstractFluorinated polymers are usually synthesized by radical (co)polymerization of fluoroalkenes. These interesting materials have outstanding properties such as thermal stability, chemical inertness (to solvents, oils, water, acids, and bases), low refractive index, permittivity, dissipation factor and water absorptivity, as well as excellent weatherability, durability, and resistance to oxidation. Actually, two families of fluorinated polymers can be considered: (1) in first group, the fluorinated groups are located on the polymer backbone and their chemical inertness, thermal stability, low refractive index, and dielectric constant are exploreed, and (2) the second group contains a fluorinated dangling group that induces enhanced surface properties. Various strategies of synthesis via radical conventional or controlled copolymerizations are proposed; some of them are well‐architectured fluoropolymers (block, graft, alternated, and so on) just like their properties and applications ranging from energy‐related‐materials (fuel cell membranes, separators for lithium ion batteries, piezoelectric devices) to original fluorinated elastomers, thermoplastic elastomers, surfactants, thermostable polymers, and optical devices.