Synthesis and Characterization of Hydroxyl-terminated Block Fluorinated Copolyether(FPO-PTHF-FPO)

Abstract

We introduced fluorine into hydroxyl-terminated block copolyether so as to prepare polyurethane adhesive with better performance. Fluorine-containing epoxy compounds (FO) was synthesized by one-step method from 2,2,3,3-tetrafluoro-1-propanol (TFP) and epichlorohydrin (ECH). Then, a novel hydroxyl-terminated block fluorinated copolyether (FPO-PTHF-FPO) was prepared by cationic ring-opening polymerization of fluorinated epoxy compound (FO) with polytetrahydrofuran (PTHF) as the macromolecular initiator and boron trifluoride diethyl ether (BF₃·OEt₂) as the catalyst. The structure and properties of hydroxyl-terminated block fluorinated copolyether were characterized by FTIR, ¹HNMR, GPC, DSC, TGA, and viscosity-temperature curve analysis. In comparison with polytetrahydrofuran (PTHF), hydroxyl-terminated block fluorinated copolyether (FPO-PTHF-FPO) has lower viscosity and only one lower glass transition temperature (−66.6 °C) on DSC curve. In addition, hydroxyl-terminated block fluorinated copolyether (FPO-PTHF-FPO) begins to decompose at 187.2 °C and is completely decomposed until 431.6 °C, which indicates that it has a good thermal stability.

Keywords

polytetrahydrofuran / fluoride-containing / hydroxyl-terminated block copolyether / cationic ring-opening polymerization