Intellectual Property Office
Non-Confidential Disclosures
“Fluorinated Polyphosphazenes via Near Supercritical CO2 Processing”
PSU Invention Disclosure No. 2007-3348
Field of the Invention/Key Words:
Fluorinated polymers, green solvent processing
Links:
http://www.chem.psu.edu/faculty/hra
http://www.ipo.psu.edu
Inventors:
H. Allcock & L. Steely
Background:
Products made with fluoropolymers have wide appeal in many different research areas and industrial applications. Fluoropolymers, such as Teflon, have high resistance to temperature, corrosion, and chemical reactions. These attributes allow fluorinated polymers to comprise a large segment of the high performance polymers sold commercially. This market largely belongs to Teflon because no other polymer system has been able to match its chemical resistance. However, the solvents currently used for the processing of nearly all fluorinated polymers are environmentally harmful, and residual solvent degassing from the processed materials might limit the applications that could make use of polymers and commercial fluoropolymers.
Invention description:
The present invention involves fluorinated polymers that readily absorb near supercritical CO2 to form swollen gels, and from these gels useful polymer foams can be formed. The use of near supercritical carbon dioxide processing allow us to synthesize and process mixed side group fluorinated polyphosphazenes that have previously been inaccessible due to their low solubility in organic solvents. The carbon dioxide can be recycled after use giving this method a distinct environmental and economical advantage over organic solvent processing. The polymers could be especially developed for marine and aerospace applications based on their flame retardance, chemical resistance, and water repellency. The polymers could have uses in flotation devices, clothing, aircraft interiors, biomedical applications, and thermal and electrical insulation.
Advantages:
- Increased solubility in inorganic solvents
- Environmentally friendly processing using carbon dioxide as solvent
- Some polymers especially useful in marine and aerospace applications
Contact:
Bradley A. Swope
Sr. Technology Licensing Officer
The Pennsylvania State University
113 Technology Center
University Park, PA 16802
Phone: (814) 863-5987
Fax: (814) 865-3591
E-mail: bradswope@psu.edu |
