Perfluoropolyethers: Production Processes of Today and Products of Tomorrow.

摘要

Perfluoropolyethers (PFPEs) are well-known high performance lubricants. Firstly discovered during the 1960s, they are today prepared by four different industrial groups with three main technologies. Two of these processes are performed via anionic polymerization of perfluorinated or fluorinated monomers, while the third one comprises the photochemical reaction of perfluoroolefin an oxygen. The first step of this process yields to perfluoropolyether chains containing reactive peroxyde units, which can be used as starting material for the preparation of new fluorinated or perfluorinated materials. A first possibility is given by catalytical reduction of polyperoxide, which after several steps, results in the industrial production of PFPEs alcohols. These fluorinated alcohols can be further converted into functionalized fluorinated fluids to be used as lubricating additives. A second possibility is represented by the direct reaction of fluorinated poly-peroxide with perfluoroolefins at high temperature. Through this innovative synthesis, perfluorinated copolymers can be prepared. Depending on pefluoroolefins used, reaction conditions and ratio between polyperoxyde and perfluoroolefines different products with different physical status can be obtained and many of them will likely represent the perfluorinated lubricating products of tomorrow.