Patent ID: 8058376

Claim:
A process for making an aqueous dispersion of fluoropolymer particles comprising: polymerizing in a first polymerization step at least one fluorinated monomer having an ionic group in an aqueous polymerization medium in the presence of initiator, said polymerizing providing dispersed solid particulate of fluorinated ionomer; polymerizing in a second polymerization step at least one fluorinated monomer in said aqueous polymerization medium in the presence of said dispersed particulate of fluorinated ionomer and initiator to form the aqueous dispersion of particles of fluoropolymer, said fluoropolymer being nonionomeric fluoropolymer, wherein the amount of said dispersed particulate of fluorinated ionomer present in said aqueous polymerization medium in said second polymerization step comprises less than about 15 wt % of said fluoropolymer solids produced in said aqueous dispersion.