Synthesis of an original poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene)-g-perfluoropolyether graft copolymer

The synthesis of one original poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene)-g-perfluoropolyether graft copolymer, achieved from the radical terpolymerization of vinylidene fluoride (VDF), hexafluoropropylene (HFP) and a perfluoropolyether (PFPE) bearing an ω-allylic group, is presented. This functional PFPE was synthesized from the condensation of an ω-carboxylic PFPE with an allyl amine. The terpolymerization was initiated by t-butyl peroxide in a perfluorohexane/acetonitrile mixture. 19F NMR spectroscopy enabled the VDF, HFP and allyl amido PFPE base units contained in the terpolymer to be assessed, showing the good incorporation of VDF and the poor reactivity of HFP.