Process for extraction of fluorinated copolymers with fluorocarbons

摘要

A process for extracting a fluorinated polymer which contains carboxylic ester functional groups with a liquid compound which is preferably a perchlorofluorocarbon having a boiling point in the range of 30 DEG to 125 DEG C. is described. Polymer so extracted can be fabricated into a membrane and hydrolyzed to ion exchange form to provide a membrane for electrolytic cells. When used as the membrane for a chloralkali cell, such membrane provides improved performance, e.g., a high level of current efficiency and low power consumption are maintained for an extended period of time when compared against a membrane of like construction fabricated from polymer which has not been so extracted.