Radiation-Induced Copolymerization of Tetrafluoroethylene and Propylene. 2. Copolymerization in Solution

Copolymerization of tetrafluoroethylene and propylene in chlorofluorohydrocarbon solvents was carried out below room temperature with γ-rays from a ⁶⁰Co source. A remarkable rate-accerelating effect was observed in these solution systems, although the activation energies and the compositions of copolymers were almost the same as those in bulk system. The most effective solvent was found to be trichlorotrifluoroethane. Kinetic results of the copolymerization in trichlorotrifluoroethane solution system revealed the role of solvent to be complicated, with the possibility of affecting almost all reaction steps of the polymerization.