New soluble teflon for coating onto plastics

Abstract Teflon PTFE, FEP, and low melting HFP/TFE copolymers can be made to have excellent adhesion to substrates if residual stresses from large changes in temperature can be eliminated. PTFE and FEP can be adhered using a high boiling saturated perfluorinated oligomer to plasticize the fluoropolymer at the interface. Low melting HFP/TFE copolymers can be deposited as very thin films from solution in common perfluorinated solvents. Highly durable coatings can be prepared owing to the intimate degree of contact obtained between the substrate and the fluoropolymer chains. The use of low boiling solvents allow coatings on temperature sensitive substrates, such as plastics, rubber, and paper. Possible commercial applications range from mold release coatings, clear protective coatings on photographs, paintings, and documents and optical coatings on plastic and glass.