THE PREPARATION OF NEW PERFLUOROPOLYETHER FLUIDS EXHIBITING EXCELLENT OXIDATIVE STABILITY

THE GOAL OF THIS RESEACH PROGRAM IS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE RELATION-SHIP BETWEEN OXIDATIVE STABILITY AND STRUCTURE AS IT RELATES TO PERFLUOROPOLYETHERS. WE INTEND TO USE DIRECT FLUORINATION TECHNOLOGY TO PRODUCE SEVERAL NEW PERFLUOROPOLYETHER FLUIDES WHICH CONTAIN UNIQUE ARRANGEMENTS OF CARBON AND OXYGEN IN THE BACKBONE OF THE POLYMER AS WELL AS UNUSUAL PENDANT GROUPS. THE DIRECT FLUORINATION PROCESS INVOLVES THE SELECTION OF A HYDROCARBON WITH THE PROPER STRUCTURE WHICH IS CONVERTED TO A FLUOROCARBON BY A CONTROLLED REACTION WITH ELEMENTAL FLUORINE. SINCE THE STARTING MATERIALS ARE HYDROCARBONS, NUMEROUS STRUCTURES CAN BE MADE DUE TO THE WIDE VARIETY OF MONOMERS AND SYNTHETIC TECHNIQUES AVAILABLE. IN CONTRAST, THE SYNTHESIS OF FLUOROCARBON POLYMERS FROM FLUOROCARBON MONOMERS IS COSTLY AND THE TYPES OF REACTIONS THAT CAN BE CARRIED OUT ARE EXTREMELY LIMITED. THE PERFLUOROPOLYETHERS PRODUCED WILL HAVE A VARIETY OF USES IN ENVIRONMENTS WHERE EXTREME STABILITY, VERY LOW VAPOR PRESSURE, LOW ACUATE TOXICITY, HIGH LUBRICITY AND VERY LOW POUR POINTS ARE REQUIRED.