Hoechst Aktiengesellschaft

Eduard Weiss

Jurgen Kuhls

Gottfried Burgstaller

Michael Schlipf

A process is described for the preparation of a crosslinkable paint binder by working up a solution of a fluorine-containing copolymer composed of copolymerized units of a perfluoroolefin, a vinyl ester of a short-chain, saponifiable carboxylic acid and a vinyl ester of a strongly branched carboxylic acid which resists saponification. In this process, the bulk of the solvent and the residual monomers are first removed by distillation, the residual highly viscous copolymer is then dissolved in a mixture of alkanol and another solvent which is also capable of dissolving the saponified copolymer to form a homogeneous solution, and the alkaline saponification is subsequently carried out. If desired, the solvent is removed and exchanged for a paint solvent and this solution is finally filtered. A mild saponification is achieved in this manner.

Process for the preparation of a crosslinkable binder for paints from

A process for the continuous agglomeration of granular tetrafluoroethylene polymer powders which cannot be processed from the melt to give molding powders having a high bulk density, an improved powder flow and particle stability and a narrow particle size distribution is described. In this process, the powder to be agglomerated is first introduced uniformly into a pretreatment stage and is dispersed and pre-agglomerated in this stage in the liquid agglomeration medium, composed of water and an organic liquid capable of wetting polytetrafluoroethylene, is then agglomerated to the desired average particle diameter in an agglomeration stage and is finally treated further in an after-treatment stage in order to develop the final shape of the particles. Finally, the powder is separated from the liquid medium and is dried. This makes it possible to obtain, in an economical manner and with excellent processing properties, high-grade agglomerated molding powders of such tetrafluoroethylene polymers, in particular of such polymers which have been modified with small quantities of perfluoro-(alkyl-vinyl) ethers.

Molding powder comprising agglomerated particles of PTFE compounds

A process for the continuous agglomeration of granular tetrafluoroethylene polymer powders which cannot be processed from the melt to give molding powders having a high bulk density, an improved powder flow and particle stability and a narrow particle size distribution is described. In this process, the powder to be agglomerated is first introduced uniformly into a pretreatment stage and is dispersed and pre-agglomerated in this stage in the liquid agglomeration medium, composed of water and an organic liquid capable of wetting polytetrafluoroethylene, is then agglomerated to the desired average particle diameter in an agglomeration stage and is finally treated further in an after-treatment stage in order to develop the final shape of the particles. Finally, the powder is separated from the liquid medium and is dried. This makes it possible to obtain, in an economical manner and with excellent processing properties, high-grade agglomerated molding powders of such tetrafluoroethylene polymers, in particular of such polymers which have been modifed with small quantities of perfluoro-(alkyl-vinyl) ethers.

Continuous process for the agglomeration of PTFE powders in a liquid

Aqueous colloidal dispersions of fluorinated polymers can be concentrated, after adding a stabilizing emulsifier, to high solids contents by ultrafiltration over customary semi-permeable membranes if pumps which keep the dispersion free from contact with components which cause frictional forces are used for conveying the dispersion. A considerable proportion of the stabilizing emulsifier added and high proportions of the fluorine-containing emulsifier originally contained in the fluorinated polymer dispersion from the emulsion polymerization can be removed via the aqueous permeate. The fluorine-containing emulsifier can be recovered by a downwstream basic anion exchanger and the stabilizing emulsifier contained in the filtrate flowing out of the anion exchanger can be concentrated in this filtrate by reverse osmosis and optionally recycled into the ultrafiltration process. Fluorinated polymer dispersions which, in addition to having a high solids content, are distinguished by particularly low contents of fluorine-containing emulsifier and of stabilizing emulsifier can be obtained. The process can be applied to all known aqueous, colloidal dispersions of fluorinated homopolymers and copolymers.

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Burghausen, Germany

Eduard Weiss