Electrospinning of fluoropolymers

Abstract

Fibers and methods of producing fibers comprising fluorinated polymers having comonomers of tetrafluoropropene are provided. Methods may include providing a solution having a fluorinated polymer dissolved in a solvent, wherein at least one monomer of the polymer comprises a tetrafluoropropene, exposing the solution to an electrostatic field between the solution and a collection electrode, and forming fibers from the solution fluorinated polymer. Fibers may include a fluorinated polymer, wherein at least one of the monomers of the fluorinated polymer comprises tetrafluoropropene.

1 . A method for producing fibers comprising:
 providing a solution having a fluorinated polymer dissolved in a solvent, wherein at least one monomer of the polymer comprises a tetrafluoropropene;   exposing the solution to an electrostatic field between the solvent and a collection electrode; and   forming fibers from the dissolved fluorinated polymer.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tetrafluoropropene is 1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene, 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fluorinated polymer comprises at least one comonomer, wherein the comonomer is a vinylidene fluoride. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the vinylidene fluoride is polyvinylidene fluoride. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solvent is at least one of acetones, ketones, low-molecular weight alcohols, polar aprotic solvents, chloroform, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the polar aprotic solvents include at least one of dimethylformamide, dimethylacetamide, N-methylpyrrolidone, ethyl acetate, tetrahydrofuran, dimethyl sulfoxide, acetonitrile, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the low-molecular weight alcohol includes at least one of ethanols, methanols, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the fluorinated copolymer has a molar ratio of tetrafluoropropene to vinylidene fluoride of about 5:95 to about 95:5. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the fluorinated copolymer has a molar ratio of tetrafluoropropene to vinylidene fluoride of about 70:30 to about 90:10. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fibers are nanofibers. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fibers have a diameter between about 50 nanometers and about 10 microns. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising gathering the fibers to form a nonwoven. 
     
     
         13 . A fiber produced by the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the exposing the solution to an electrostatic field between the solvent and a collection electrode is electrospinning. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising polymerizing a plurality of monomers into a polymer, wherein at least one monomer is a tetrafluoropropene. 
     
     
         16 . A fiber comprising a fluorinated polymer, wherein at least one of the monomers of the fluorinated polymer comprises tetrafluoropropene. 
     
     
         17 . The fiber of  claim 16 , wherein the tetrafluoropropene is 1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene, 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The fiber of  claim 16 , wherein the fluorinated polymer is a copolymer of tetrafluoropropene and vinylidene fluoride having a molar ratio of tetrafluoropropene to vinylidene fluoride of about 5:95 to about 95:5. 
     
     
         19 . The fiber of  claim 18 , wherein the vinylidene fluoride is polyvinylidene fluoride. 
     
     
         20 . The fiber of  claim 16 , wherein the polymer has a viscosity molecular weight between about 30,000 to about 1,500,000 as measured by gel phase chromatography.