Fluororpolymer compositions and coatings

1. A composition comprising at least one fluoropolymer dissolved in at least one solvent, wherein the solvent comprises a branched, partially fluorinated ether and wherein the partially fluorinated ether corresponds to the formula:

C p F 2p+1 —O—C q H 2q+1

wherein q is an integer from 1 to 5 and p is an integer from 5 to 11;

and wherein the fluoropolymer is a copolymer comprising at least 90% by weight (based on the total weight of the polymer, which is 100% by weight) of units derived from tetrafluoroethene (TFE) and one or more perfluorinated alkyl ethers corresponding to the general formula

R f —O—(CF 2 ) n —CF═CF 2

wherein n is 1 or 0 and R f represents a perfluoroalkyl residue or a perfluoroalkyl residue interrupted once or more than once by an oxygen atom.

2. The composition according to claim 1 wherein the solvent is present in an amount of at least 25% by weight based on the total weight of the composition.

3. The composition according to claim 1 wherein the C p F 2p+1 — unit is branched.

4. The composition according to claim 1 wherein the composition comprises the partially fluorinated ether in an amount of from about 55 to 99.9% by weight based on the weight of the total composition which is 100% by weight.

5. The composition according to claim 1 comprising from 0.01 to 55% by weight of the fluoropolymer based on the weight of the total composition, which is 100% by weight.

6. The composition according to claim 1 wherein the fluoropolymer is a curable elastomer and further comprises units derived from one or more types of cure-site monomers.

7. The composition according to claim 1 wherein the fluoropolymer is a fluoroelastomer and contains one or more cure-sites that are reactive to a peroxide curing system.

8. The composition according to claim 1 wherein the fluoropolymer is a curable fluoroelastomer and contains cure sites derived from one or more cure site monomers wherein the cure sites are selected from cure sites containing nitrile groups, iodine groups, bromine groups and combinations thereof.

9. The composition according to claim 1 wherein the fluoropolymer is a curable perfluoroelastomer and does not contain any repeating units derived from a non-fluorinated or partially fluorinated comonomer but may contain units derived from a perfluorinated, partially or non-fluorinated cure site monomer and or units derived from one or more modifier monomers selected from perfluorinated, partially and non-fluorinated bisolefins, bisolefin-ethers and bisolefin polyethers.

10. The composition according to claim 1 wherein the fluoropolymer is a curable elastomer and further comprises cure sites and wherein the composition further comprises at least one curing agent for curing the fluoroelastomer.

11. The composition according to claim 1 wherein the composition is a coating composition selected from the group consisting of coating compositions for impregnating, spray coating, solvent casting, bar coating, screen printing, 3D-printing, painting, dip coating and roller coating.

12. Method of making the composition of claim 1 comprising dissolving the fluoropolymer in the solvent.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising adding one or more curing agents suitable for curing the fluoropolymer to the composition wherein the one or more curing agent is added to the fluoropolymer prior, subsequent or simultaneously with dissolving the fluoropolymer in the solvent, and wherein the fluoropolymer is curable.

14. A method of making a coated substrate comprising

(i) applying a composition according to claim 1 to the substrate; and

(ii) removing the solvent.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising subjecting the composition to curing, wherein the curing step is carried out after, simultaneously with or prior to removing the solvent.