Abstract
Fluoropolymers are well-known for their good properties in terms of chemical, thermal and electrical stabilities, inertness to acids, bases, solvents and oils, and high resistance to ageing and oxidation. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) is useful as a homopolymer endowed with interesting characteristics. It contains a high crystallinity rate, but is base sensitive. In addition, VDF can be co- or terpolymerized with several fluorinated monomers, rendering them suitable as elastomers and various examples of synthesis of VDF-copolymers are also presented. This review also focusses on binary and tertiary systems containing VDF. Several curing systems for these VDFcontaining copolymers have been investigated, especially diamines and their derivatives, aromatic polyhydroxy compounds, peroxides with coagents, such as triallylisocyanurate, radiations, and thiol-ene systems. The best vulcanizate properties are obtained by a two-step process. First, the material is press cured at different times and temperatures, then, it is post cured in air or under nitrogen at higher temperature and time, and under atmospheric pressure. Poly(VDF-co-HFP) copolymers can react with primary, secondary or tertiary monoamines, but they are mainly crosslinked by diamines such as hexamethylene diamine (HMDA), their carbamates (HMDA-C), and derivatives. A mechanism of crosslinking is identified by Infrared and 19F NMR spectroscopies, and was evidenced to proceed in three main steps. First, a VDF unit undergoes a dehydrofluorination in the presence of the diamine, then the Michael addition occurs onto the double bonds to form crosslinking, while HF is eliminated from crosslinks in the presence of HF scavengers. The crosslinking mechanism with bisphenols takes place also in three main steps (dehydrofluorination, then substitution of a fluorine atom by a bisphenol, and elimination of HF).