Method for manufacturing fluoropolymers

1. A method for making a fluoropolymer comprising an aqueous emulsion polymerization of one or more fluorinated monomers wherein said aqueous emulsion polymerization is carried out in the presence of at least one cyclic fluorocompound of the following formula (I):

wherein X 1 , X 2 , X 3 , equal to or different from each other are independently selected from the group consisting of H, F, and C 1-6 (per)fluoroalkyl groups, optionally comprising one or more oxygen atoms; L represents a bond or a divalent group; R F is a divalent fluorinated C 1-3 bridging group; Y is a hydrophilic function selected from the group consisting of anionic functionalities, cationic functionalities, and non-ionic functionalities.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic function Y of cyclic fluorocompound (I) is selected among non-ionic functions of formulae —(OR H ) n —OH, wherein R H is a divalent hydrocarbon group, and n is an integer from 1 to 15.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic function Y of cyclic fluorocompound (I) is selected from the group consisting of cationic functions of formulae:

wherein R n , equal to or different at each occurrence, represents an hydrogen atom or a C 1-6 hydrocarbon group, E is a C 1-3 divalent hydrocarbon group and X b − is an anion selected from the group consisting of OH − , Cl − , Br—, and I − .

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic function Y of cyclic fluorocompound (I) is selected from the group consisting of anionic functions of formulae:

wherein X a is H, a monovalent metal, or an ammonium group of formula —N(R′ n ) 4 , wherein R′ n , equal or different at each occurrence, represents a hydrogen atom or a C 1-6 hydrocarbon group.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the cyclic fluorocompound complies with formula (II) here below:

wherein X 1 , X 2 , X 3 , equal to or different from each other are independently selected from the group consisting of H, F, and C 1-6 (per)fluoroalkyl groups, optionally comprising one or more oxygen atoms; Y is a hydrophilic function selected from the group consisting of anionic functionalities, cationic functionalities, and non-ionic functionalities; and R F is a divalent fluorinated C 1-3 bridging group.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the cyclic fluorocompound complies with formula (IV):

wherein X′ 1 and X′ 2 , equal to or different from each other, are independently a fluorine atom, a —R′ f group or —OR′ f group, wherein R′ f is a C 1-3 perfluoroalkyl group, and R F has the same meaning as in claim 5 ; and X a is H, a monovalent metal, or an ammonium group of formula —N(R′ n ) 4 , wherein R′ n , equal or different at each occurrence, represents a hydrogen atom or a C 1-6 hydrocarbon group.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the cyclic fluorocompound complies with formula (VI) here below:

wherein X″ 1 and X″ 2 , equal to or different from each other, are independently a fluorine atom, a —R′ f group or —OR′ f group, wherein R′ f is a C 1-3 perfluoroalkyl group; R F has the same meaning as in claim 5 ; and X a is H, a monovalent metal, or an ammonium group of formula —N(R′ n ) 4 , wherein R′ n , equal or different at each occurrence, represents a hydrogen atom or a C 1-6 hydrocarbon group.

8. The method of claim 4 , wherein the cyclic fluorocompound complies with formula (VIII) here below:

wherein R F and X a have the same meanings as in claim 4 ; X* 1 , X* 2 equal to or different from each other are independently a fluorine atom, —R′ f or —OR′ f , wherein R′ f is a C 1-3 perfluoroalkyl group; R F 1 is F or CF 3 , k is an integer from 1 to 3.

9. The method of claim 4 , wherein the cyclic fluorocompound complies with formula (XIV) here below:

wherein R F and X a have the same meanings as in claim 4 ; X* 1 , X* 2 equal to or different from each other are independently a fluorine atom, —R′ f or —OR′ f , wherein R′ f is a C 1-3 perfluoroalkyl group; R* F is a divalent fluorinated group, k is an integer from 1 to 3.

10. The method according to claim 1 , being carried out in the presence of a mixture of the cyclic fluorocompound of formula (I) and at least one further emulsifier different from said cyclic fluorocompound of formula (I), said emulsifier complying with formula: A-R f —B, in which A and B, equal to or different from each other, are —(O) p CFX—COOM*; M* represents H, NH 4 , Na, Li or K; X=F or CF 3 ; p is an integer equal to 0 or 1; R f is a linear or branched perfluoroalkyl chain, or a (per)fluoropolyether chain such that the number average molecular weight of A-R f —B is in the range 300 to 3,000.