Fluorinated poly(acrylates): influence of fluorinated chain length and hydrocarbon spacer on surface properties

The big concern generated by the discovery that degradation of stain-resistant coatings led to the release of biopersistant perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) to the environment urged researchers on developing more environmentally friendly fluorinated compounds maintaining the same surface properties. Polyacrylates with long fluorinated tail (eight fluorinated carbon atoms are well known and apply as surface properties modifiers. The main need is to shorten the fluorinated tail using more effective "spacers" between the polyacrylates backbone and the fluorinated tails. (H. Nakamichi, 1996), (H.S.W. Hu and J.R. Griffith, 1996), (T.F. DeRosa et al., 1994), (V.V. Volkov et al, 1994), (A. Zaggia, 2007). In this area we developed a family of fluorinated poly(acrylates) containing a short R-F side group (perfluorohexyl) and different type of hydrocarbon "spacers". These monomers were co-polymerized with other non-fluorinated acrylates (chain extenders) to obtain the corresponding partially fluorinated poly(acrylates). The surface properties of these new partially fluorinated polymers were then determined through surface tension evaluation and their protection properties on stone were evaluated via specific tests (I.P.A. test and graffiti test).