Microemulsions and fluoropolymers made using microemulsions

1. Microemulsions comprising:

(a) water;

(b) at least one ethylenically unsaturated fluoromonomer; and

(c) at least one oligomeric fluorosulfinic compound is selected from the group consisting of oligomeric fluorosulfinic compounds comprising repeating units of formula

(i) highly fluorinated sulfinate oligomer having the following formula (IV):

wherein X 1 , X 2 , and X 3 are independently selected from F, Cl and CF 3 ; R is independently selected from H, I, Br, linear or branched alkyl, and linear or branched fluoroalkyl group, optionally containing heteroatoms; R1 is a linear or branched perfluorinated linking group, which may be saturated or unsaturated, substituted or unsubstituted, and optionally comprises catenary heteroatoms; M is a cation; and m is at least 2;

(ii) a partially fluorinated sulfinate oligomer comprising repeating units of the following formula (VI)

wherein X 1 , X 2 , and X 3 are independently selected from H, F, Cl, Br, I, CF 3 , and CH 3 and wherein at least one of X 1 , X 2 , or X 3 is H; R 1 is a linking group, Z 1 and Z 2 are independently selected from Br, Cl, I, F, CF 3 , and a perfluoroalkyl group; M is a cation; p is 0 or 1; and n is at least 2.

2. Microemulsions according to claim 1 wherein the oligomeric fluorosulfinic compound is a highly fluorinated sulfinate oligomer.

3. Microemulsions according to claim 1 further comprising salts derived from the highly fluorinated sulfinate oligomer.

4. Microemulsions comprising:

(a) water;

(b) at least one ethylenically unsaturated fluoromonomer;

(c) at least one oligomeric fluorosulfinic compound; wherein the oliqomeric fluorosulfinic compound further comprises at least one second unit selected from the group consisting of:

(i) repeating units of formula (II):

wherein X 4 , X 5 , or X 6 are independently selected from H, F, Cl and CF 3 ; R2 is a linear or branched fluorinated linking group, which may be saturated or unsaturated and substituted or unsubstituted, and optionally comprises a heteroatom; G is selected from a perfluoroalkyl and a functional group; n is at least 1; and

(ii) repeating units of the following formula:

wherein X 4 , X 5 , and X 6 are independently selected from H, F, Cl, Br, I CF 3 , and CH 3 ; R2 is a linking group; Z 3 and Z 4 are independently selected from Br, Cl, F, CF 3 , and a perfluoroalkyl group; Y is selected from —H, —Br, —COOM, —SO 3 M, and —[CX 1 X 3 —CX 2 (R 1 CZ 1 Z 2 Y 1 )] q , a linear or branched, fluorinated group, which may be saturated or unsaturated and substituted or unsubstituted, and optionally comprises a heteroatom; where Y 1 is selected from —H, —Br, —COOM, —SO 3 M, —SO 2 M, and —[CX 1 X 3 —CX 2 (R 1 CZ 1 Z 2 Y 1 )] q ; Z 1 and Z 2 are independently selected from Br, Cl, I, F, CF 3 ,and a perfluoroalkyl group; M is an organic cation; p is 0 or 1; and m is at least 1 and q is at least 1.

5. Microemulsions according to claims 4 wherein the functional group G is an alcohol derivative.

6. Microemulsions according to claim 1 wherein the at least one oligomeric fluorosulfinic compound further comprises a monomer to provide a structure according to formula (III):

wherein Z is derived from monomers selected from ethylene, propylene, tetrafluoroethylene, chlorotrifluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, vinylidene fluoride, vinyl fluoride, fluorinated alkyl vinyl ethers, fluorinated alkoxy vinyl ethers, fluorinated vinyl containing a functional group, perfluoro-1,3-dioxoles, and combinations thereof, and further wherein p is at least one.

7. Microemulsions according to claim 1 wherein R1 are independently selected from: —(CF 2 ) a —, —(CF 2 ) a —O—(CF 2 ) b —, —(CF 2 ) a —[O—(CF 2 ) b ] c —, —(CF 2 ) a —[O—(CF(CF 3 )CF 2 ) b ] c —, and —[(CF 2 ) a —O—] b —[(CF 2 ) c —O—] d —, and combinations thereof, wherein a, b, c, and d are independently at least 1.

8. Microemulsions according to claim 1 wherein R1 are independently selected from: —CF 2 CF 2 —, —CF 2 CF 2 CF 2 CF 2 —, —CF 2 CF 2 OCF 2 CF 2 —, —CF 2 CF(CF 3 )—O—CF 2 CF 2 —.

9. Microemulsions according to claim 1 wherein the at least one oligomeric fluorosulfinic compound has a number average molecular weight of no more than 20,000 grams/mole.

10. Microemulsions according to claim 1 wherein M is selected from: H + , NH 4 + , PH 4 + , H 3 O + , Na + , Li + , Cs + , Ca +2 , K + , Mg +2 , Zn +2 , and Cu +2 , and/or an organic cation including, but not limited to N(CH 3 ) 4 + , NH 2 (CH 3 ) 2 + , N(CH 2 CH 3 ) 4 + , NH(CH 2 CH 3 ) 3 + , NH(CH 3 ) 3 + , ((CH 3 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 ) 4 )P + , and combinations thereof.

11. Microemulsions according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one oligomeric fluorosulfinic compound is water soluble.

12. Microemulsions according to claim 4 wherein the functional group G is selected from carboxylic acids and derivatives thereof, nitriles, sulfonyl halides, sulfonates, imidates, amidines, alcohols, mercaptans, and combinations thereof.