Synthesis of fluorinated polyethylene of different topologies via insertion polymerization with semifluorinated acrylates

Abstract

Fluoropolymers are widely used in high-end applications on account of their outstanding properties such as low surface energy and high thermal and chemical stability. In this contribution, we report the synthesis of fluorinated polyethylene via late-transition-metal-catalyzed ethylene copolymerization with semifluorinated acrylates. Fluorinated polymers with different topologies can be generated via insertion polymerization with various late-transition-metal catalysts. Linear main chain fluorinated polyethylene with a high incorporation of up to 25 mol% can be achieved via the PO-palladium-catalyzed ethylene and fluorinated acrylate copolymerization, while hyperbranched chain end fluorinated polyethylene with a high molecular weight of up to 270 kDa can be realized via α-diimine-palladium-catalyzed ethylene and fluorinated acrylate copolymerization. Compared with the pure polyethylene material, these fluorinated polyethylenes possess much lower surface energy.