Fluoropolymer hybrid composite

1. A process for manufacturing a fluoropolymer hybrid organic/inorganic composite (FH), said process comprising:

(i) providing a pre-composite (FP) by processing in molten phase, wherein the molten phase is processed using an extruder:

a compound (MP) obtainable by at least partial hydrolysis and/or partial polycondensation, in the presence of a liquid medium, of at least one metal compound (M) of formula (I):

X 4-m M(OY) m   (I)

wherein M is a metal selected from the group consisting of Si, Ti and Zr, X and Y, equal to or different from each other and at each occurrence, are selected from hydrocarbon groups, optionally comprising one or more functional groups, and m is an integer comprised between 1 and 4, and

at least one polymer (FF), wherein polymer (FF) is at least one functional fluoropolymer comprising at least one hydroxyl group;

(ii) providing a composition by compounding the pre-composite (FP) provided in step (i) with:

at least one poly(alkylene oxide) (PAO) of formula (II):

HO—(CH 2 CHR A O) n —R B   (II)

wherein RA is a hydrogen atom or a C 1 -C 5 alkyl group, R B is a hydrogen atom or a —CH 3 alkyl group and n is an integer comprised between 2000 and 40000,

at least one metal salt,

optionally, at least one fluoropolymer [polymer (F)], equal to or different from the polymer (FF), and

optionally, one or more inorganic fillers; and

(iii) processing in molten phase the composition provided in step (ii).

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer (FF) comprises at least 0.01% by moles of recurring units derived from at least one monomer (OH), wherein the monomer (OH) is comprised of at least one hydroxyl group.

3. The process according to claim 2 , wherein the monomer (OH) is selected from the group consisting of (meth)acrylic monomers of formula (III) and vinylether monomers of formula (IV):

wherein each of R 1 , R 2 and R 3 , equal to or different from each other, is independently a hydrogen atom or a C 1 -C 3 hydrocarbon group, and R OH is a C 1 -C 5 hydrocarbon group comprising at least one hydroxyl group.

4. The process according to claim 2 , wherein the polymer (FF) comprises at least 0.05% by moles of recurring units derived from at least one monomer (OH).

5. The process according to claim 4 , wherein the polymer (FF) comprises at least 0.1% by moles of recurring units derived from at least one monomer (OH).

6. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer (FF) comprises at most 20% by moles, of recurring units derived from at least one monomer (OH), wherein the monomer (OH) is comprised of at least one hydroxyl group.

7. The process according to claim 6 , wherein the polymer (FF) comprises at most 15% by moles of recurring units derived from at least one monomer (OH).

8. The process according to claim 7 , wherein the polymer (FF) comprises at most 10% by moles of recurring units derived from at least one monomer (OH).

9. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the compound (MP) is in the form of a liquid composition comprising one or more domains of formula —[O-MX 4-m* (OY) m*-2 ]O—, wherein M is a metal selected from the group consisting of Si, Ti and Zr, X and Y, equal to or different from each other and at each occurrence, are hydrocarbon groups, optionally comprising one or more functional groups, and m* is an integer comprised between 2 and 4.

10. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the pre-composite (FP) comprises one or more domains of formula —[O-M(OZ 1 )(OZ 2 )]O—, wherein M is a metal selected from the group consisting of Si, Ti and Zr, and Z 1 and Z 2 , equal to or different from each other, are hydrocarbon groups, optionally comprising one or more functional groups, at least one of said Z 1 and Z 2 being a hydrocarbon group comprising recurring units derived from at least one monomer (OH).

11. A fluoropolymer hybrid organic/inorganic composite (FH)—obtainable by the process according to claim 1 .

12. The composite (FH) according to claim 11 , said composite (FH) comprising:

at least one pre-composite (FP),

at least one poly(alkylene oxide) (PAO) of formula (II):

HO—(CH 2 CHR A O) n —R B   (II)

wherein R A is a hydrogen atom or a C 1 -C 5 alkyl group, R B is a hydrogen atom or a —CH 3 alkyl group and n is an integer comprised between 2000 and 40000,

at least one metal salt (M),

optionally, at least one fluoropolymer [polymer (F)], equal to or different from the polymer (FF), and

optionally, one or more inorganic fillers.

13. A process for manufacturing a film, said process comprising processing in molten phase at least one composite (FH) according to claim 12 .

14. A film comprising at least one composite (FH) according to claim 12 .

15. The film according to claim 14 , said film being a dense film.

16. An electrochemical device or a photo-electrochemical device comprising at least one film according to claim 14 .

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the film is used as a separator for the device.

18. The composite (FH) according to claim 12 , wherein n is an integer comprised between 11500 and 30000.

19. The process according to claim 1 , wherein n is an integer comprised between 11500 and 30000.

20. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer (FF) comprises at least 0.05% by moles and at most 15% by moles of recurring units derived from at least one monomer (OH), wherein the monomer (OH) is comprised of at least one hydroxyl group.