This invention provides a melt-processable conductive fluoroplastic composition comprising a melt-processable, thermoplastic fluoropolymer component of interpolymerized units comprising those derived from vinylidene fluoride, a conductive particulate component comprising conductive carbon black particles, and a hydrocarbon polymer component. The composition is useful for making, for example by melt-processing, conductive shaped articles including tubing.

This invention relates to electrically conductive, thermoplastic, 
fluoropolymer compositions, their preparation and use, and to shaped 
articles, such as films and tubing, made by melt-processing said 
compositions, for example, by extrusion thereof. In another aspect, this 
invention relates to improving the flow properties of electrically 
conductive, thermoplastic, fluoropolymer compositions used to make 
extruded shaped articles. 
Various polymers have been proposed or used as matrices for electrically 
conductive polymer-carbon black compositions and both polymer and carbon 
black properties have influence on the conductivity of the 
compositions--see Probst, N. in "Carbon Black Sci. and Tech.," Donnet, 
J-B. et al., ed., Marcel Dekker, Inc., Chap. 8, 1993. 
Flowing fuel in contact with a plastic tubing can give rise to an 
electrostatic charge or potential which if discharged through the plastic 
tubing wall can lead to material breakdown and pinholes which can lead to 
higher emissions, fuel leakage, or potentially hazardous fires. Thus, one 
important application of some conductive compositions is in fuel line hose 
or tubing. A fuel line hose of a conductive composition aids in minimizing 
formation or concentration of an electrical charge and allowing 
dissipation of the charge to ground through connections to a vehicle 
chassis. Certain fluoropolymer composites used for making such fuel line 
hose or tubing are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,473,087 (Slade) and 
European Pat. Appln. Pub. No. 0551094 (Krause et al.). 
A number of other patent disclosures describe various conductive 
fluoropolymer-carbon black composites. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 
5,000,875 (Koloach) which points out some difficulties associated with 
adding carbon black to fluoropolymers to achieve conductivity. U.S. Pat. 
No. 4,459,473 (Kamath) describes a wide variety of conductive polymers, 
including fluoropolymers, and exemplifies a blend of carbon black with 
copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene and ethylene, perfluoroalkoxy, or 
hexafluoropropylene, the blend of Example 1 of this patent including a 
process aid. U.S. Pat. No. 4,534,889 (van Konynenburg) describes certain 
conductive polymer compositions, including thermoplastic halogenated vinyl 
or vinylidene polymers, which may contain conventional ingredients such as 
processing aid. Other patent disclosures describing various fluoropolymers 
are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,861,029 (Smith-Johannsen et al), 4,237,441 (van 
Konynenburg et al), 4,318,881 (Sopory), 4,560,498 (Horsma et al), 
4,665,963 (Koga et al), and 4,902,444 (Kolouch) and European Patent 
Application Pub. Nos. 524,700 (Dlugosg et al). 
A relatively new class of melt-processable fluoropolymers which has become 
commercially available is the thermoplastic terpolymers made by 
copolymerizing tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, and vinylidene 
fluoride. A series or family of these fluoropolymers is sold as "3M THV 
Fluoroplastics" and can be used to prepare, for example, molded parts and 
extruded films, tubes, and profiles. We have discovered that by blending 
hydrogen-containing fluoropolymers like the above-described THV 
Fluoroplastics with sufficient conductive carbon black particles and small 
amounts of some hydrocarbon polymers of ethylene and/or polymers of 
ethylene oxide, the resulting blends can be melt processed with desirable 
flow properties to readily form extrudates with desired electrical 
conductivity (or low resistance) and smooth surfaces which enable or 
enhance their uses where such properties are desired or required, such as 
in fuel line hose or tubing. These improvements are obtained without the 
need, for example, to modify the chemical structure of the fluoropolymer, 
to raise the melt-processing temperature, or to extrude at lower line 
speeds --measures sometimes resorted to in melt-processing plastics to 
reduce melt fractures or melt defects. 
According to one aspect of this invention, a melt-processable, conductive 
fluoroplastic composition is provided which comprises a blend of (a) a 
fluoropolymer component which is a major amount (i.e., greater than 50%) 
by weight of the conductive composition and is a melt-processable, 
thermoplastic fluoropolymer of interpolymerized units comprising those 
derived from vinylidene fluoride and, preferably at least one 
ethylenically-unsaturated, copolymerizable, fluorinated comonomer, such as 
(1) fluorinated alpha-olefin represented by the formula R.sub.f 
CF.dbd.CF.sub.2, where R.sub.f is H, F, Cl, or a perfluoroalkyl of 1 to 8, 
preferably 1 to 3, carbon atoms, and, optionally, (2) minor amounts (i.e., 
less than 50% by weight of said fluoropolymer) of perfluoro(alkyl vinyl 
ether) having, for example, 1 to 4 carbon atoms, such as perfluoro(methyl 
vinyl ether), and/or low molecular weight non-fluorinated alpha-olefin, 
e.g., ethylene and propylene, which fluoropolymer forms a matrix in which 
are dispersed (b) a small amount (i.e., less than 20 wt % of the 
conductive composition) of a conductive particulate component comprising 
conductive carbon black particles, and (c) a small amount (i.e., less than 
20 wt % of the conductive composition) of a hydrocarbon polymer component 
comprising a hydrocarbon polymer, such as an olefin polymer and/or 
poly(oxyalkylene)polymer, types of such polymers being a polymer of 
ethylene or propylene, e.g., polyethylene, and polyethylene glycol. The 
hydrocarbon polymer blend component is fluid and thermally stable at the 
melt-processing temperature of the fluoropolymer, for example, 180.degree. 
to 280.degree. C., and is liquid, or preferably solid at ambient 
temperature (20.degree. C.) where the fluoropolymer is solid. The 
hydrocarbon polymer component, conductive component, and the fluoropolymer 
component are immiscible in each other and can be readily blended, the 
fluoropolymer component forming a matrix in which the other two components 
are uniformly dispersed. The extrudates or shaped articles of the blended 
components can be made with desirably high electrical conductivity (i.e., 
low volume resistivity, e.g., lower than 1.times.10.sup.7, or 1 E7, and 
desirably in the range of 1.times.10.sup.3 to 1.times.10.sup.6 ohm-cm or 
lower), uniform density, and good quality surfaces, particularly 
smoothness, and the extrudates are otherwise relatively free of 
objectionable defects such as roughness and porosity. 
In another aspect, this invention provides a method of making such 
extrudates or conductive shaped plastic articles. That method comprises 
blending components (a), (b), and (c), for example by first dry-blending 
(a) a major amount of a melt-processable, thermoplastic fluoropolymer 
component of interpolymerized units derived from vinylidene fluoride and 
(b) a small amount of a conductive particulate component comprising 
conductive carbon block particles, and (c) a small amount of a hydrocarbon 
polymer component, and then melt-processing the resulting blend, for 
example by extrusion, to form such extrudates or shaped articles. 
Preferably the above-described fluoropolymers used in this invention are 
those thermoplastics having an ASTM D 1238 melt flow index of less than 
1000 g/min. measured at 265.degree. F. and with a loading of 5 kg and are 
melt extrudable at 250.degree. C. 
Preferred in preparing the blends of this invention are those 
hydrogen-containing fluoropolymers having at least 5 wt % of their 
interpolymerized units derived from vinylidene fluoride and more than 25 
wt % of their interpolymerized units derived from a combination of 
tetrafluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene such that the fluoropolymers 
have an amount of fluorine below 75 wt % and are melt extrudable 
thermoplastics. 
A preferred class of the fluoropolymers is derived by copolymerizing 30 to 
70 wt %, preferably 35 to 65 wt %, tetrafluoroethylene, 10 to 30 wt %, 
preferably 15 to 25 wt %, hexafluoropropylene, and 10 to 50 wt %, 
preferably 15 to 45 wt %, vinylidene fluoride. 
A subclass of the fluoropolymer used in making blends of this invention are 
those fluoropolymers which contain interpolymerized units derived from 
copolymerization of a monomer charge of 45 to 65 wt % tetrafluoroethylene, 
10 to 20 wt % hexafluoropropylene, and 20 to 35 wt % vinylidene fluoride. 
This class, described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,670,503 (Newmann et al.), have 
melting points of 130.degree. to 170.degree., measured by the DSC 
("Differential Scanning Calorimetry") method, and an ASTM D 1238 melt 
index of 50 to 250 g/10 min. for the melt index, measured at 265.degree. 
C. and a loading of 5 kg. 
Commercial fluoropolymers which can be used are said THV Fluoroplastics 
described in product bulletins 98 0211-7703-9(103.02)R1, 98 0211-7010-9, 
-7011-7, -7012-6, -7013-3, -7014-1, and -8100-7 of the Specialty 
Fluoropolymers Dept. of the 3M Company. Grades THV 200, THV 400, and THV 
500 of these fluoroplastics have ASTM D 3418 melting ranges of 
115.degree.-125.degree. C., 150.degree.-160.degree. C., and 
165.degree.-180.degree. C. respectively, and ASTM D 1238 melt flow indices 
of 20, 10, and 10, respectively, at 265.degree. C. and 5 kg. The 
descriptions of said THV Fluoroplastics in said product bulletins are 
incorporated herein by reference. 
The hydrocarbon polymer, used as a blend component in making the conductive 
fluoroplastic compositions of this invention, is a non-fluorinated polymer 
(and characterizing it as "hydrocarbon" distinguishes it from the 
fluoropolymer blend component). A class of the hydrocarbon polymers is 
that comprising or consisting essentially of polymers represented by said 
formula .brket open-st.CH.sub.2 -CHR(O).sub.z .brket close-st..sub.n where 
R is H, C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkyl radical or COOR', where R' is a C.sub.1 
to C.sub.6 alkyl radical, z is zero or 1, and n is preferably at least 18 
and can be as high as 2000 or higher, e.g., 10,000 or more. This class of 
polymers includes hydrocarbon olefin polymers of ethylene and polymers of 
propylene, including homopolymers of such alpha-olefins and copolymers of 
either olefin with the other or either or both of them with one or more 
higher alpha-olefins and up to 30 wt %, but preferably 20 wt % or less, of 
one or more copolymerizable ethylenically-unsaturated comonomers which are 
copolymerizable with such olefins, e.g., vinyl ester compounds, such as 
vinyl acetate. Said olefins can be represented by the general structure 
CH.sub.2 .dbd.CHR, where R is a hydrogen or an alkyl radical which 
contains not more than 10 carbon atoms and preferably 1 to 6 carbon atoms. 
Representative olefins are ethylene, propylene, 1-butene, 1-hexene, 
4-methyl-1-pentene, and 1-octene. Representative monomers which are 
copolymerizable with said olefins are vinyl esters, such as vinyl acetate, 
vinyl propionate, vinyl butyrate, vinyl chloroacetate, and vinyl 
chloropropionate; vinyl alcohol; acrylic and alpha-alkyl acrylic acids, 
and their alkyl esters, amides, and nitriles, such as acrylic acid, 
methacrylic acid, ethacrylic acid, methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, 
N,N-dimethyl acrylamide, methacrylamide, and acrylonitrile; vinyl 
aromatics, such as styrene, o-methoxystyrene, p-methoxystyrene, and vinyl 
naphthalene; vinyl and vinylidene halides, such as vinyl chloride, 
vinylidene chloride, and vinylidene bromide; alkyl esters of maleic and 
fumaric acids and anhydrides, such as dimethyl maleate, diethyl maleate, 
and maleic anhydride; vinyl alkyl ethers, such as vinyl methyl ether, 
vinyl ethyl ether, vinyl isobutyl ether, and 2-chloroethyl vinyl ether; 
vinyl pyridine; N-vinyl carbazole; N-vinyl pyrolidone; and dienes, such as 
1,3-butadiene. The hydrocarbon olefin polymers also include the metallic 
salts of said olefin copolymers, which contain free carboxylic acid 
groups. Illustrative of the metals which can be used to provide the salts 
of said carboxylic acid polymers are the mono-, di-, and tri-valent 
metals, such as sodium, lithium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, aluminum, 
barium, zinc, zirconium, beryllium, iron, nickel, and cobalt. 
Representative examples of hydrocarbon olefin polymers useful in this 
invention are polyethylene, polypropylene, and copolymers of ethylene with 
propylene, 1-butene, 1-hexene, 4-methyl-1-pentene, or 1-octene. 
Representative blends of thermoplastic olefin hydrocarbon polymers useful 
in this invention are blends of polyethylene and polypropylene, 
low-density polyethylene and high-density polyethylene, and polyethylene 
and olefin copolymers containing said copolymerizable monomers, some of 
which are described above, e.g., ethylene and acrylic acid copolymers; 
ethylene and methyl acrylate copolymers; ethylene and ethyl acrylate 
copolymers; ethylene and vinyl acetate copolymers, and ethylene, acrylic 
acid, and vinyl acetate copolymers. 
The preferred thermoplastic olefin hydrocarbon polymers are thermoplastic 
homopolymers of ethylene and propylene and copolymers of ethylene with 
1-butene, 1-hexene, 1-octene, 4-methyl-1-pentene, or propylene. 
Commercially available hydrocarbon olefin polymers which can be used in 
this invention include Escorene.TM. LL-3001.00, LL-5202, LD411.09, and 
LD760.36 polyethylenes, Iotek.TM. 7030 ionomer, and Escor.TM. ATX310 acid 
terpolymer, all from Exxon Chem. Co.; ER1833 polyethylene from Chevron 
Chemical Co.; Novapol.TM. TF 0119F polyethylene from Novacor Chemicals 
Inc.; Dowlex.TM. 2047 polyethylene from Dow Chemical Co.; Marlex.TM. HMN 
4550 polyethylene from Phillips 66 Co.; 3374X polypropylene from Fina Oil 
and Chemical Co.; and Polysar.TM. EPM 306 and EPDM 345 ethylene propylene 
rubbers from Miles, Inc., Polysar Rubber Div. 
Two or more of the above-described hydrocarbon olefin polymers can be used 
as blend component (c). Or one or more of such polymers can be blended and 
used together with poly(oxyalkylene) polymers, such as polyethylene 
glycol, as blend component (c), each being, for example, 5 to 95 wt. % of 
the hydrocarbon blend component (c). 
The hydrocarbon polymers useful in this invention as a blend component can 
also be poly(oxyalkylene) polyols and their derivatives, which can be used 
alone or with said hyrocarbon polymers. A class of such poly(oxyalkylene) 
polymers can be represented by the general formula A[(OR.sup.1).sub.x 
OR.sup.2 ].sub.y, preferably A[(OCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2).sub.x OH].sub.y, where 
A is an active hydrogen-free residue of a low molecular weight, initiator 
organic compound having a plurality of active hydrogen atoms (e.g., 2 or 
3), such as a polyhydroxyalkane or a polyether polyol, e.g., ethylene 
glycol, glycerol, 1,1,1-trimethylol propane, and poly(oxypropylene) 
glycol; y is 2 or 3; the (OR.sup.1).sub.x is a poly(oxyalkylene) chain 
having a plurality of oxyalkylene groups, (OR.sup.1), wherein the R.sup.1 
radicals can be the same or different, and are selected from the group 
consisting of C.sub.1 to C.sub.5 alkylene radicals and preferably C.sub.2 
or C.sub.3 alkylene radicals; and x is the number of oxyalkylene units. 
Said poly(oxyalkylene) chain can be a homopolymer chain, e.g. 
poly(oxyethylene) or poly(oxypropylene), or a chain of randomly 
distributed (i.e., a heteric mixture) oxyalkylene groups, e.g. a copolymer 
of --OC.sub.2 H.sub.4 -- and --OC.sub.3 H.sub.6 -- units, or a chain 
having alternating blocks or backbone segments of repeating oxyalkylene 
groups, e.g. a polymer comprising .paren open-st.OC.sub.2 H.sub.4 .paren 
close-st..sub.a and .paren open-st.OC.sub.3 H.sub.6 .paren close-st..sub.b 
blocks, where a+b=5 to 5000 or higher, e.g., 20,000 or more and preferably 
10 to 300. R.sup.2 is H or an organic radical, such as alkyl, aryl, or a 
combination thereof such as aralkyl or alkaryl, and may contain O or N 
hetero atoms. For example, R.sup.2 can be methyl, butyl, phenyl, benzyl, 
and acyl groups such as acetyl (CH.sub.3 CO--), benzoyl (C.sub.6 H.sub.5 
CO--) and stearyl (C.sub.17 H.sub.35 CO--). 
Representative poly(oxyalkylene) polymer derivatives can include 
poly(oxyalkylene) polyol derivatives wherein the terminal hydroxy groups 
have been partly or fully converted to ether derivatives, e.g. methoxy 
groups, or ester derivatives, e.g. stearate groups, (C.sub.17 H.sub.35 
COO--). Other useful poly(oxyalkylene) derivatives are polyesters, e.g. 
prepared from dicarboxylic acids and poly(oxyalkylene) glycols. 
Preferably, the major proportion of the poly(oxyalkylene) polymer 
derivative by weight will be the repeating oxyalkylene groups, (OR.sup.1). 
Said poly(oxyalkylene) polyols and their derivatives can be those which are 
solid at room temperature and have a molecular weight of at least about 
200 and preferably a molecular weight of about 400 to 20,000 or higher, 
e.g. 200,000 or more. 
Poly(oxyalkylene) polyols useful in this invention include those 
polyethylene glycols which can be represented by the formula H(OC.sub.2 
H.sub.4).sub.n OH, where n is, for example, about 15 to 3000, such as 
those sold under the trademark Carbowax, such as Carbowax.TM. PEG 8000, 
where n is about 181, and those sold under the tradename Polyox, such as 
Polyox.TM. WSR N-10 where n is about 2272. 
The lower limit of amount of the hydrocarbon polymer component (c) to be 
blended with the fluoropolymer and conductive components will generally be 
an amount at which an increase in extrusion rate of the blend occurs 
before surface or interior defects are observed in extrudates of the 
blend, as compared to a blend of the same fluoropolymer and conductive 
components that is not blended with the hydrocarbon polymer component. 
Generally, the amount of the hydrocarbon polymer component will be about 
0.1 to 10 wt %, more preferably about 0.5 to 5 wt % by weight of the 
fluoropolymer component, conductive component, hydrocarbon polymer 
component blend. The particular blend components chosen will have a 
bearing on the particular amount of hydrocarbon polymer component to be 
used, and simple sample extrusions can be run to determine that particular 
amount. 
The conductive carbon black particulate used as a blend component in 
preparing the conductive fluoroplastic compositions of this invention can 
be any of those known materials added to resins to produce a desirably 
less-resistive system or render the resin system conductive. Generally, 
the conductive carbon black particles to be used will have high surface 
area, e.g., greater than 150 m.sup.2 /g, high structure, e.g., dibutyl 
phthalate absorption ("DBT") numbers preferably greater than 150, and low 
volatility, e.g., volatile contents of less than 2.5 wt %. Conductive 
grades of carbon black which can be used in this invention include 
super-conductive, extra-conductive, and P-type blacks with particle sizes 
ranging from 15 to 40 nm, nitrogen surface area of 40 to 1500 m.sup.2 /g, 
and densities of about 10 to 30 pounds per cubic feet (0.16 to 0.48 g/cc). 
Carbon blacks such as these are further described, for example, by Probst 
in "Carbon Black Sci. and Tech.," supra and in "Plastics Additives and 
Modifiers Handbook," Edenbaum, J., ed., Vannostrand Reinhold, N.Y., p. 
630-643, 1992, these descriptions being incorporated herein by reference. 
Commercial conductive carbon blacks which can be used in this invention 
include Vulcan.TM. XC-72, Black Pearls.TM. 2000, Printex.TM. XE-2, and 
Ketjen.TM. EC-300J. 
The amount of carbon black particulate to be used in preparing the 
fluoroplastic compositions of this invention will be that small amount 
sufficient to impart desired conductivity thereto and yet permit desired 
melt processing of the blend of components. Generally, such amount will be 
1 to 20 wt %, preferably 5 to 15 wt %, of the conductive fluoroplastic 
composition. 
The blends of fluoropolymer, conductive particulate, and hydrocarbon 
polymer components (a), (b), and (c) can be prepared by blending means 
usually used in the plastics industry, such as compounding mill, a Banbury 
mixer, or a mixing extruder in which the hydrocarbon polymer and 
conductive particulate components are uniformly distributed throughout the 
fluoropolymer component. The mixing operation is conveniently carried out 
at a temperature above the melting point of the polymers. It is also 
feasible to blend the polymers and conductive particulate components in 
the solid state and then cause uniform distribution of the hydrocarbon 
polymer and conductive particulate components in the fluoropolymer matrix 
by passing the blend through a melt extruder, such as employed in 
fabrication of extruded articles. 
The fluoropolymer and the hydrocarbon polymers may be used in the form, for 
example, of powders, pellets, or granules. 
In preparing shaped articles, such as film or tubing, of the conductive 
fluoroplastic blend compositions of this invention, various extruders or 
other melt shaping equipment known in the art of polymer melt-processing 
can be used. Preferably the blend components can be melt blended in a 
mixing extruder and the extruded mixture chopped or cut into pellets or 
cubes which are then fed to a single screw extruder and melt-processed 
therein to produce extrudates or shaped articles of desired form. 
The melt blended mixture of fluoropolymer, carbon black, and hydrocarbon 
polymer components can be pelleted or otherwise comminuted into desired 
particulate size and fed to the extruder, which will typically be a 
single-screw extruder, which melt-processes the blended mixture, for 
example, at 180.degree. to 280.degree. C., depending upon the melting 
point, melt viscosity, and thermal stability of the blend. Different types 
of extruders which can be used to extrude the fluoroplastic compositions 
of this invention are described, for example, by Rauwendaal, C., "Polymer 
Extrusion," Hansen Publishers p 23-48, 1986. 
The die design of the extruder can vary, depending on the desired extrudate 
to be fabricated. For example, an annular die can be used to extrude 
tubing, useful in making fuel line hose, such as that described in U.S. 
Pat. No. 5,284,184 (Noone et al), which description is incorporated herein 
by reference. 
Objects and advantages are illustrated in the following examples, but these 
examples should not be construed to unduly limit this invention.

EXAMPLES 
A plurality of conductive fluoroplastic compositions of this invention were 
prepared by mixing the components and melt-processing the mixtures and 
forming strands thereof with a twin-screw extruder, chopping the strands, 
and feeding the chopped or particulate material to a single-screw extruder 
and forming extrudates in the form of conductive fluoroplastic film. The 
compositions are set forth in Table 1. For comparison, a number of control 
compositions (designated C-1, C-2, etc.) were prepared in which the 
hydrocarbon polymer component was omitted. Observations were made of the 
appearance and properties of the strands, the melt processing of the 
blends and the electrical resistivity of the extruded films. These data 
are summarized in Table 2. 
In preparing the blends, the blend components, all in powdered form, were 
pre-weighed in a gallon plastic jar and mixed on a roller mill mixer. The 
blended powders were melt-mixed in a Haake Buchler Rheomex.TM. TW100 
twin-screw extruder, fitted with high intensity screws, and extruded 
through a four-strand die. The screw speed varied from 100 to 150 rpm. The 
molten strands were water-quenched and chopped into pellets by a Killion 
pelletizer. The pH measurements were made by applying pH paper, wetted 
with distilled water, to a mass of pellets stored in a closed plastic jar, 
and the odor of the stored mass was noted upon opening of the storage jar. 
The pellets were dried of moisture in a forced air oven prior to being 
extruded into film, the weight of the pellets before and after drying was 
used to determine the amount of water on the pelleted compositions. The 
weight percentage of water removed was indicative of the surface roughness 
and porosity of the pellets. The resulting dried pellets were gravity-fed 
to a Haake Buchler Rheomex.TM. 0.75 inch (19 mm), a 25/1 L/D single-screw 
extruder with a 3/1 fast compression screw, connected to a 6-inch (152.4 
mm) flat film die with a 20-mil (0.5 mm) gap. The screw of the extruder 
was run at 50 rpm. The extruder temperature profile was: feed zone, 
130.degree. C.; transition zone, 150.degree. C.; metering zone, 
190.degree. C.; and die zone, 210.degree. C. The extruded film was 
quenched on a water-chilled casting roll and collected. The volume 
resistance of the film extrudates was measured in accordance with ASTM D 
257-78 (re-approved in 1983) using an ETS cell Model 803B and power supply 
Model 872A available from Electro Tech Systems, Inc. 
TABLE 1 
______________________________________ 
Blend Components, Wt %. 
THV THV 
Ex. No. 500.sup.a 
200.sup.a 
PE.sup.b 
PEG.sup.c 
CB.sup.d 
CB.sup.d Type 
______________________________________ 
C-1 100 
C-2 100 
C-3.sup.c 
87 11 XC-72 
C-4 91 9 XC-72 
C-5 90 10 XC-72 
C-6 89 11 XC-72 
C-7 88 12 XC-72 
1 88 1 11 XC-72 
2 87 2 11 XC-72 
3 87 1 12 XC-72 
4 86 2 12 XC-72 
5 88 1 11 XC-72 
6 87 2 11 XC-72 
7 87 1 12 XC-72 
8 86 2 12 XC-72 
9 87 1 1 11 XC-72 
C-8 88 12 XC-72 
10 86 2 12 XC-72 
C-9 95 5 XE-2 
11 93 2 5 XE-2 
C-10 95 5 EC 300J 
12 93 2 5 EC 300J 
C-11 96 4 BP2000 
13 94 2 4 BP2000 
______________________________________ 
.sup.a THV 500 & THV 200 means the above described 3M THV fluoroplastics 
with approximate monomer ratios of 60 wt % tetrafluoroethylene, 20 wt% 
hexafluoropropylene, and 20 wt % vinylidene fluoride for THV 500 and 40 w 
%, 20 wt %, and 40 wt % of the respective monomers for THV 200. 
.sup.b "PE" means Escorene .TM. LL3001.00 polyethylene, available from 
Exxon Chem. Co. 
.sup.c "PEG" Means Polyox .TM. WSR N10 polyethylene glycol, available fro 
Union Carbide Corp. 
.sup.d "CB" means carbon black particulate. Vulcan XC72 and Black Pearls 
BP2000 are available from Cabot Corp., Ketjen EC300J is available from 
Akzo Chem. Co., and XE2 is available from Degussa AG. 
.sup.e The fluoroplastic blend of C3 contained 2 wt % calcium stearate. 
TABLE 2 
______________________________________ 
Extrusion and Extrudate Observations 
Volume 
Ex. Temp. Feed H.sub.2 O.sup.i 
Resistivity 
No. Profile.sup.f 
Character.sup.g 
pH Odor.sup.h 
wt % ohm-cm 
______________________________________ 
C-1 B F 2.5 D NM.sup.k 
1.6 E14 
C-2 B S 2.5 C NM.sup.k 
1.2 E15 
C-3.sup.j 
B F 5.5 D 0.07 3.3 E5 
C-4 A C 3 C 0.08 2.8 E14 
C-5 A C 3 C 0.08 3.1 E8 
C-6 A C 2 C 0.09 6.6 E6 
C-7 A C 1.7 D 0.13 5.2 E7 
1 B F 5.5 B 0.04 2.5 E5 
2 B F 5.5 A 0.04 2.2 E5 
3 B F 5.5 B 0.04 2.2 E5 
4 B F 5.5 B 0.06 2.9 E5 
5 C F 3.5 B 0.04 4.1 E5 
6 C S 3.5 B 0.02 2.3 E5 
7 C F 3 B 0.02 1.9 E5 
8 C F 3.5 B 0.01 2.2 E5 
9 B F 5.5 A NM.sup.k 
7.6 E5 
C-8 B F 2 B 0.06 5.2 E5 
10 B F 4.5 B 0.06 1.6 E5 
C-9 D C 1.8 D 3.34+ 3.7 E14 
11 B F 5.5 B 0.06 1.4 E6 
C-10 D C 2 C 14.7+ 7.4 E14 
12 B F 5.5 A 2.9 1.1 E6 
C-11 D F 3 C 5.7+ NM.sup.k,l 
13 B F 5.5 B 0.04 4.3 E7 
______________________________________ 
.sup.f "Temp. profile" means the twin-screw compounding 
extrusion temperature profile of the extruder having 4 
heating zones, viz: 
Temp. 
Profile 
Zone 1 (Feed) 
Zone 2 Zone 3 Zone 4 (Die) 
A 120-140.degree. C. 
210-220.degree. C. 
220.degree. C. 
210-220.degree. C. 
B 90 170-180 190-195 
215-220.degree. C. 
C 130 210 225 240 
D 150-180 240-260 250-260 
.sup.g "C" means clumping or agglomeration of feed 
particulate, "S" means slight clumping of feed 
particulate, and "F" means the feed fed readily. 
.sup.h "Odor" means the odor of the pelleted strands, on the 
scale of A, B, C, D with A being weakest odor and D 
being the strongest odor (acrid) 
.sup.i These values, wt % weight loss upon drying pellets, is 
a measure of the porosity and surface roughness of the 
strands. Lower values indicate a smoother, less porous 
strand. The values followed by "+" indicates that 
before drying, water droplets (condensation) had formed 
in the jar storing the pellets. 
.sup.j The fluoroplastic blend in Ex C-3 contained 2 wt % 
calcium stearate and exhibited smoke during extrusion 
in the twin-screw extruder. 
.sup.k Not measured 
.sup.l Quality of blend pellets was too poor to feed film 
extruder. 
The data of Table 2 show marked decrease in resistivity (i.e., increase in 
conductivity) and better melt processing, as shown by the extrusion and 
extrudate observations, of the conductive fluoroplastic compositions of 
this invention as compared to the control compositions. 
A number of other conductive fluoroplastic compositions of this invention 
were similarly prepared using THV 500 Fluoroplastic, carbon black 
particulate commercially available as Vulcan.TM. XC-72 from Cabot Corp., 
and various hydrocarbon polymers commercially available as: Bynel.TM. E214 
Acid-modified ethylene acrylate, Bynel.TM. E403 Acid-modified ethylene 
acrylate, Bynel.TM. E369 Anhydride-modified ethylene acrylate, Bynel.TM. 
3101 Acid/acrylate modified ethylene vinyl acetate, and Surlyn.TM. 1650 
zinc salt of ethylene acrylic acid all from DuPont; Fina 3374X 
polypropylene from Fina Oil & Chemical Co.; EPsyn.TM. 5206 ethylene, 
propylene, butadiene polymer (EPDM) from Copolymer Rubber & Chemical 
Corp.; AC 6A oxidized polyethylene wax from Allied Chemical Co.; and 
Carbowax.TM. PEG 8000 polyethylene glycol available from Union Carbide 
Corp. The evaluation of these other compositions of the invention showed 
them to have desirable properties similar to those of the foregoing 
examples. 
Various modifications and alterations of this invention will be apparent to 
those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of 
this invention.