Patent ID: 8329813

Claim:
A process for reducing the fluoroether carboxylic acid or salt content of aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion, said fluoroether carboxylic acid or salt having the formula: [R 1 —O-L-COO − ]Y + wherein: R 1 is a linear, branched or cyclic partially or fully fluorinated aliphatic group which may contain ether linkages; L is a branched partially or fully fluorinated alkylene group which may contain ether linkages; and Y + is hydrogen, ammonium or alkali metal cation; said process comprising: adding stabilizer to said aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion to form stabilized aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion; heating said stabilized aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion to decarboxylate said fluoroether carboxylic acid or salt to produce a fluoroether byproduct; and removing a portion or all of said fluoroether byproduct.