Synthesis of methallylic monomers bearing ammonium side‐groups and their radical copolymerization with chlorotrifluoroethylene

Methallylic monomers bearing triethyl or 4‐diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) ammonium side‐groups are prepared and copolymerized with chlorotrifluoroethylene (CTFE). First, three different monomers are synthesized from chloro‐2‐methylprop‐1‐ene or 3‐chloro‐2‐chloromethylprop‐1‐ene in fair to good yields (57–95%). Then, several parameters (initiators, aqueous or solution processes, temperature) of the radical copolymerization of these monomers with chlorotrifluoroethylene are investigated. Various initiators are tested in the presence of ammonium perfluorooctanoate (APFO) as water‐soluble surfactant, and tert‐butyl peroxypivalate/APFO leads to the best results in a mixed solvent (H₂O/CH₃CN/C₄F₅H₅). In all experiments, the radical copolymerization shows that CTFE is more reactive than the methallylic monomer as evidenced by the characterization of poly(CTFE‐co‐M) copolymer by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and elemental analysis. Thermal degradation of these copolymers by thermogravimetric analyses indicates that the copolymers are stable up to 180 °C without any degradation and have a T_d,10% above 300 °C. Finally, their ionic exchange capacities range between 0.94 and 1.69 meq g^?1. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 1721–1729     

Random and block styrenic copolymers bearing both ammonium and fluorinated side‐groups

1H,1H,2H,2H‐Perfluorooctyloxymethylstyrene (FS) was prepared and copolymerized with chloromethylstyrene (CMS). Conventional radical copolymerization of both these aromatic monomers led to poly(CMS‐co‐FS) random copolymers for which CMS was shown to be more reactive than the fluorinated comonomer. Their controlled radical copolymerization based on degenerative transfer, namely iodine transfer polymerization (ITP), led to various poly(CMS)‐b‐poly(FS) block copolymers. Molecular weights of poly(CMS‐co‐FS) copolymers reached 33,000 g mol^?1 while those of poly(CMS)‐b‐ poly(FS) block copolymers were 22,000 g mol^?1. Their composition ranged from 18 to 61 mol.% in FS. These copolymers were modified via a cationization step, aiming at replacing the chlorine atom in CMS unit by a trimethylammonium group, leading to the formation of cationic sites. The resulting functionalized copolymers exhibited different solubilities. If both copolymerization techniques led to water‐insoluble copolymers, the block architecture enabled incorporating lower FS proportion, resulting in more cationic sites. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Preparation of solid alkaline fuel cell binders based on fluorinated poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride)s [poly(DADMAC)] or poly(chlorotrifluoroethylene‐co‐DADMAC) copolymers

A membrane or an electrode binder to be used in a solid alkaline fuel cell (SAFC) needs to (i) be insoluble in both aqueous solutions and the required fuels, and (ii) exhibit an hydroxide ion conductivity. To achieve these goals, two pathways were employed: (i) one consists of the radical copolymerization of diallyldimethylammonium chloride (DADMAC) with chlorotrifluoroethylene (CTFE) while (ii) the other one is based on the counter‐ion exchange of a poly(DADMAC) by fluorinated anions. First, the radical copolymerization of CTFE with DADMAC under various experimental conditions was achieved in yields up to 85%, and DADMAC percentages in the copolymers were higher than those in the feed compositions. To obtain insoluble copolymers, high CTFE feed contents (>70 mol %) were required. The other route consisting in the partial replacement of the Cl^? counter‐ions in the water‐soluble poly(DADMAC) by bistrifluoromethanesulfonimide (TFSI^?) did confer the starting material insolubility in water while maintaining its conductivity. When the fluorinated poly(DADMAC) was obtained from concentrated solutions of fluorinated surfactant, it was observed that the amount of counter‐ions exchanged was difficult to control, which limits optimization. Nevertheless, under diluted conditions, membranes with ion exchange capacity up to 0.7 meq g^?1, and conductivities close to 1 mS cm^?1 were obtained. Although their conductivities were low, these membranes fulfill the requirements for a SAFC membrane in terms of solubility in DMSO, water insolubility, and thermal stability (T_d,10% > 320 °C). When used in a fuel cell, as a binder in the membrane‐electrode assembly (MEA), significant improvements were noted (+50% of the open circuit voltage, +580% in current density, and +540% in accessible power). © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 2043–2058, 2009     

Synthesis and characterization of original alternated fluorinated copolymers bearing glycidyl carbonate side groups

A vinyl ether bearing a carbonate side group (2‐oxo‐1,3‐dioxolan‐4‐yl‐methyl vinyl ether, GCVE) was synthesized and copolymerized with various commercially available fluoroolefins [chlorotrifluoroethylene (CTFE), hexafluoropropylene (HFP), and perfluoromethyl vinyl ether (PMVE)] by radical copolymerization initiated by tert‐butyl peroxypivalate. Although HFP, PMVE, and vinyl ether do not homopolymerize under radical conditions, they copolymerized easily yielding alternating poly(GCVE‐alt‐F‐alkene) copolymers. These alternating structures were confirmed by elemental analysis as well as ¹H, ¹⁹F, and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. All copolymers were obtained in good yield (73–85%), with molecular weights ranging from 3900 to 4600 g mol^?1 and polydispersities below 2.0. Their thermogravimetric analyses under air showed decomposition temperatures at 10% weight loss (T_d,10%) in the 284–330°C range. The HFP‐based copolymer exhibited a better thermal stability than those based on CTFE and PMVE. The glass transition temperatures were in the 15–65°C range. These original copolymers may find potential interest as polymer electrolytes in lithium ions batteries. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

Fluorinated,crosslinkable terpolymers based on vinylidene fluoride and bearing sulfonic acid side groups for fuel‐cell membranes

The radical terpolymerization of 8‐bromo‐1H,1H,2H‐perfluorooct‐1‐ene with vinylidene fluoride (VDF) and perfluoro(4‐methyl‐3,6‐dioxaoct‐7‐ene) sulfonyl fluoride is presented. Changing the feed compositions of these three fluorinated comonomers enabled us to obtain different random‐type poly[vinylidene fluoride‐ter‐perfluoro(4‐methyl‐3,6‐dioxaoct‐7‐ene) sulfonyl fluoride‐ter‐8‐bromo‐1H,1H,2H‐perfluorooct‐1‐ene] terpolymers containing various sulfonyl fluoride and brominated side groups. Yields higher than 70% were reached in all cases. The hydrolysis of the sulfonyl fluoride group into the ? SO₃Li function in the presence of lithium carbonate was quantitatively achieved without the content of VDF being affected, and so dehydrofluorination of the VDF base unit was avoided. These original terpolymers were then crosslinked via dangling bromine atoms in the presence of a peroxide/triallyl isocyanurate system, which produced films insoluble in organic solvents such as acetone and dimethylformamide (which totally dissolved uncured terpolymers). The acidification of ? SO₃Li into the ? SO₃H function enabled protonic membranes to be obtained. The thermal stabilities of the crosslinked materials were higher than those of the uncured terpolymers, and their electrochemical performances were investigated. According to the contents of the sulfonic acid side functions, the ion‐exchange capacities ranged from 0.6 to 1.5 mequiv of H⁺/g, whereas the water uptake and conductivities ranged from 5–26% (±11%) and from 0.5 to 6.0 mS/cm, respectively. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 4566–4578, 2006     

Stabilization of water/n‐hexane emulsions by amphiphilic copolymers based on vinyl ethers and their polycomplexes with poly(acrylic acid)

Amphiphilic random copolymers based on vinyl ether of ethylene glycol and vinyl butyl ether as well as their polycomplexes with poly(acrylic acid) were studied as polymeric reagents for the stabilization of water/n‐hexane emulsions. The emulsion stability strongly depended on the content of vinyl butyl ether in the copolymers as well as their concentration in solution. The more hydrophobic copolymers stabilized emulsions more efficiently. An increase in the temperature and the addition of inorganic salts reduced the emulsion lifetime. The formation of interpolymer complexes between the copolymers and poly(acrylic acid) significantly influenced the stability of the emulsions. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 2625–2632, 2004