Patent ID: 7544753

Claim:
A process for producing an elastic fluorocopolymer, comprising: emulsion-polymerizing at least one fluoromonomer (a), a vinyl ester monomer (b), and optionally, at least one hydrocarbon monomer (c), in an aqueous medium to produce an elastic fluorocopolymer latex; adjusting the pH of the elastic fluorocopolymer latex to from 1 to 9; and coagulating the elastic fluorocopolymer latex to isolate an elastic fluorocopolymer wherein the fluoromonomer (a) is at least one selected from the group consisting of tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, vinylidene fluoride and a perfluorovinyl ether represented by CF 2 ═CF—O—R f , wherein R f is a C 1-8 perfluoroalkyl group or a perfluoro(alkoxyalkyl) group), the vinyl ester monomer (b) is represented by the formula: CR 1 R 2 ═CR 3 COOCH═CH 2 wherein each of R 1 and R 2 which are independent of each other, is a hydrogen atom, a C 1-10 alkyl group or a C 1-10 alkoxyalkyl group containing an etheric oxygen atom, and R 3 is a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom or a methyl group, and the optional at least one hydrocarbon (c) is at least one selected from the group consisting of ethylene, propylene and a vinyl ether represented by CH 2 ═CH—O—R 4 , wherein R 4 is a C 1-8 alkyl group or an alkoxyalkyl group.