Synthesis methods and characterization techniques of fluoropolymers

Fluoropolymers are a class of olefin thermoplastics that have all or part of their hydrogen replaced by fluorine. In polymers such as perfluoroalkoxy alkane and polytetrafluoroethylene, this replacement has been done completely, and for polymers such as polyvinylidene fluoride and ethylenechlorotrifluoroethylene, this replacement is at limited extent. These types of polymers show excellent resistance against all kinds of corrosive environments at high temperatures. For this reason, they are widely used in the chemical industry to cover the internal surfaces of equipment, such as towers, pipes and fittings, and valves, that are in contact with all kinds of corrosive substances. These coatings have the highest chemical and temperature resistance among non-mineral coatings. The carbon–fluorine composition of fluoropolymers and as a result their synthesis mechanism are of utmost importance to be investigated and progressed in response to the industry and market requirements. In addition, the characterization methods of fluoropolymers are playing important roles to address their existing physicochemical drawbacks and increase the quality of products. For this reason, many research groups are conducting investigation in this field, and there are numerous scientific publications in literature covering the scope. In this chapter, we try to overview the principles of the synthesis methods and characterization techniques of this important class of polymers.