Patent ID: 7230038

Claim:
A method for making fluoropolymer, comprising: (a) reacting monomers into oligomers, said monomers comprising fluorinated compounds selected from the group consisting of tetrafluoroethylene (TEE), hexfluoropropylene (HFP), vinylidene fluoride (VdF). and combinations thereof; and (b) irradiating said oligomers with radiation sufficient for energizing at least one fluorine atom at a location on each oligomer molecule in a plurality of fluorinated oligomer molecules in said oligomers so that (1) the energized fluorine atom directly separates from the oligomer molecule, (2) a free radical site remains on each oligomer molecule at the location from which the fluorine atom separates, and (3) the free radical site subsequently reacts to provide a chemical bond in the fluoropolymer.