Document ID: EPA-HQ-OPPT-2003-0012-0166
Agency: epa
Document Type: Supporting & Related Material
Title: 
Posted Date: 2003-08-12T04:00Z

BASIC
FLUOROELASTOMER
(
BASE
RESISTANT
ELASTOMER)
DATA
(
August
2003)

Fluoropolymers
Manufacturers
Group
(
FMG)
Society
of
the
Plastics
Industry,
Inc.
(
SPI)
1801
K
Street
NW
Washington,
D.
C.

Table
of
Contents
Introduction
Item
2.
P­
chem
properties
to
inform
fate
testing
Item
2.1
Base
Resistant
Elastomer
[
CAS
number
27029­
05­
6]

Item
2.1.1
Polymerization
Item
2.1.2
Properties
Item
2.1.2.1
Molecular
Structure
Item
2.1.2.2
Molecular
Weight
and
Crystallinity
Item
2.1.2.3
Transitions
Item
2.1.2.4
Chemical
Resistance
Item
2.1.2.5
Electrical
Properties
Item
2.1.2.6
Radiation
Resistance
RECEIVED
OPPT
NCIC
2003
August
12
8:
12AM
OPPT­
2003­
0012­
0166
FLUOROPOLYMER
DATA
NEEDS
Introduction
The
Base
Resistant
Elastomer
(
with
CAS
number
27029­
05­
6)
is
an
alternating
copolymer
of
tetrafluoroethylene
(
TFE)
and
propylene
(
P).
It
contains
50
to
60
mole
%
TFE
and
40
to
50
mole
%
P.

Item
2.
P­
chem
properties
to
inform
fate
testing
"
P­
chem
properties"
is
the
abbreviation
for
the
physico­
chemical
properties
of
fluoropolymers
and
fluoroelastomers.
The
intent
of
this
Item
is
to
explore
physical­
chemical
properties
that
provide
information
("
inform")
about
the
destiny
("
fate")
of
fluoropolymers
and
fluoroelastomers
that
have
been
produced,
be
it
in
application
or
other
manners
of
presence.

Item
2.1
Base
Resistant
Elastomer
[
CAS
number
27029­
05­
6]

Item
2.1.1
Polymerization
T
he
base
resistant
elastomer
(
CAS
number
27029­
05­
6)
is
a
high
molecular
weight
fluoroelastomer
that
consists
of
the
highly
alternating
sequence
of
TFE
and
P
monomers.
AFLAS
 
is
known
as
a
trade
name
of
Asahi
Glass
Co.
Ltd.
for
this
type
of
fluoroelastomer.
It
is
produced
by
free­
radical
polymerization
mechanism
in
an
aqueous
media
via
addition
polymerization
of
tetrafluoroethylene
(
CF2=
CF2,
molecular
weight
100.02,
CAS
number
116­
14­
3)
and
propylene
(
CH3CH=
CH2,
molecular
weight
42.07,
CAS
number
115­
07­
1).
Contrary
to
condensation
polymerization,
no
molecule
has
to
be
removed
to
allow
the
addition
polymerization
to
occur.
The
initiator
for
polymerization
is
a
water­
soluble
chemical
such
as
ammonium
peroxidisulfate.
A
redox
catalyst
is
used
when
low
temperature
polymerization
is
desired.
This
type
of
copolymer
is
produced
by
emulsion
polymerization
in
the
presence
of
a
fluoro­
containing
or
hydrocarbon
type
surfactant.
This
fluoroelastomer
is
used
in
oil
seals
in
the
automotive,
chemical
and
petrochemical
industries.
Item
2.1.2
Properties
T
his
fluoroelastomer
offers
excellent
heat
resistance,
high
chemical
resistance
and
high
electro
insulation.
It
has
a
density
in
the
range
of
1.5
to
1.6
g/
cm3
.
Its
solubility
and
heat
resistance
are
shown
in
Figures
2.1
and
2.2.

Figure
2.1
Solubility
F
T
F
igure
2.2
Heat
Resistance
(
Typical
thermogravimetric
curves)

his
copolymer
starts
to
decompose
in
open
air
or
in
nitrogen
gas
at
above
400
°
C
because
of
its
alternative
structure.
(
See
2.1.2.1
Molecular
Structure)

Item
2.1.2.1
Molecular
Structure
igure
2.3
shows
a
schematic
of
a
segment
of
tetrafluoroethylene­
propylene
copolymer.
Its
segment
of
two
monomers
is
almost
alternative.
The
content
of
TFE
is
50
to
60%
by
mole
ratio
and
is
a
little
larger
than
that
of
propylene.

CCCCCCCCCCCC
F
F
F
F
H
H
H
CH3
F
F
F
F
H
H
H
CH3
F
F
F
F
H
H
H
CH3
T
Figure
2.3
A
Segment
of
TFE­
P
copolymer
able
2.1
shows
its
molecular
structure
and
some
properties
in
comparison
with
other
fluoroelastomers.
Table
2.1
Comparative
data
of
TFE­
P
copolymer
and
other
types
of
fluoroelastomers
(
"
AFLAS
 
"
is
the
TFE­
P
copolymer
in
this
table.)

Item
2.1.2.2
Molecular
Weight
and
Crystallinity
B
T
ecause
of
its
high
molecular
weight,
the
practical
molecular
weight
could
not
be
measured
by
gel
permeation
chromatography,
but
it
is
considered
to
be
about
300,000.
It
has
amorphous
and
does
not
have
crystalline
properties.

Item
2.1.2.3
Transitions
FE­
P
copolymer
has
a
glass
transition
around
0
°
C.
Any
other
transition
cannot
be
observed.
Item
2.1.2.4
Chemical
Resistance
T
his
copolymer
is
used
after
curing
process.
It
is
usually
compounded
with
cure
agents
and
is
cured
by
heating.
The
properties
shown
in
the
following
tables
are
that
of
vulcanized
TFE­
P
copolymer.
"
AFLAS
 
"
is
the
TFE­
P
copolymer
in
the
table
below.

Table
2.2
Resistance
to
Acid/
Base
Table
2.3
Acid
Resistance
Table
2.4
Base
Resistance
Table
2.5
Other
Chemical
Resistance
Table
2.6
Solvent
Resistance
Table
2.7
Oil
Resistance
(
Application
for
Automotive
Fluids)
Item
2.1.2.5
Electrical
Properties
Tables
2.8
and
2.9
below
show
the
electrical
properties
of
TFE­
P
copolymer.

Table
2.8
Electric
Properties
of
TFE­
P
Electrical
Properties
of
TFE­
P
copolymer
Table
2.9
Electrical
Resistance
Electrical
Resistance
Item
2.1.2.6
Radiation
Resistance
T
FE­
P
copolymer
is
stable
against
gamma­
rays
of
up
to
2000
kGy.