Irradiation of poly(perfluoropropylene oxide) by a 175 KV electron beam: The formation and hydrolysis of acid fluoride groups

Abstract

Poly(perfluoropropylene oxide), −(CF(CF3)CF2O)n−, was exposed to a 175kV electron beam while under a blanket of N2 at atmospheric pressure. The electron beam induced chemistry was spectroscopically analyzed using infrared techniques. The IR analysis revealed that acid fluoride groups were formed by the electron beam exposure which rapidly hydrolyzed to form a car☐ylic acid and HF. Viscosity studies on the irradiated material show that the net effect of the electron beam exposure is to initially reduce the viscosity; when the irradiated material is exposed to air the viscosity increases as a function of the time in contact with the atmosphere. These latter viscosity changes are attributed to the hydrolysis reaction.