WO2004007577A1 - Peroxide curable fluoroelastomers - Google Patents
Peroxide curable fluoroelastomers Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2004007577A1 WO2004007577A1 PCT/US2003/021247 US0321247W WO2004007577A1 WO 2004007577 A1 WO2004007577 A1 WO 2004007577A1 US 0321247 W US0321247 W US 0321247W WO 2004007577 A1 WO2004007577 A1 WO 2004007577A1
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- fluoroelastomer
- reactor
- monomer
- fluoromonomer
- tetrafluoroethylene
- Prior art date
Links
Classifications
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
- C08F—MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS
- C08F214/00—Copolymers of compounds having one or more unsaturated aliphatic radicals, each having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond, and at least one being terminated by a halogen
- C08F214/18—Monomers containing fluorine
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
- C08F—MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS
- C08F214/00—Copolymers of compounds having one or more unsaturated aliphatic radicals, each having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond, and at least one being terminated by a halogen
- C08F214/18—Monomers containing fluorine
- C08F214/22—Vinylidene fluoride
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
- C08F—MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS
- C08F214/00—Copolymers of compounds having one or more unsaturated aliphatic radicals, each having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond, and at least one being terminated by a halogen
- C08F214/18—Monomers containing fluorine
- C08F214/26—Tetrafluoroethene
Definitions
- Fluoroelastomers having excellent heat resistance, oil resistance, and chemical resistance have been used widely for sealing materials, containers and hoses.
- fluoroelastomers include copolymers comprising units of vinylidene fluoride (VF 2 ) and units of at least one other copolymerizable fluorine-containing major monomer such as hexafluoropropylene (HFP), tetrafluoroethylene (TFE), chlorotrifiuoroethylene (CTFE), vinyl fluoride (VF), and a fluorovinyl ether such as a perfluoro(alkyl vinyl ether) (PAVE).
- HFP hexafluoropropylene
- TFE tetrafluoroethylene
- CTFE chlorotrifiuoroethylene
- VF vinyl fluoride
- PAVE perfluoro(alkyl vinyl ether
- PAVE perfluoro(methyl vinyl ether), perfluoro(ethyl vinyl ether) and perfluoro(propyl vinyl ether).
- fluoroelastomers include the copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene with a perfluoro(alkyl vinyl ether) such as perfluoro(methyl vinyl ether) (PMVE).
- fluoroelastomers In order to develop the physical properties necessary for most end use applications, fluoroelastomers must be crosslinked.
- a preferred curing system for many end uses is the combination of an organic peroxide and a multifunctional unsaturated coagent.
- the coagent forms crosslinks by reacting with cure sites on the fluoroelastomer polymer chain.
- a preferred cure site is an iodine atom bonded to a carbon atom on the fluoroelastomer chain.
- the major challenge with the use of iodine-containing cure sites in fluoroelastomers is to balance sufficient heat resistance with acceptable processability and rheology. Sufficient heat resistance is conferred by synthesizing polymers with an average minimum of 2.5 iodine atoms per chain. Fewer than an average of 2.5 iodine atoms per polymer chain results in destruction of crosslink sites during heat aging, leading to excessive amounts of dangling polymer chains that do not contribute to network strength and weaken the tensile strength of the cured article (Flory, P. J. Principles of Polymer Chemistry, p 432, Georgia University Press, 1952).
- One method of introducing iodine cure sites into the fluoroelastomer is by conducting the polymerization in the presence of a chain transfer agent containing iodine. In this manner, an iodine atom is attached to the resulting fluoroelastomer polymer chain at one or both terminal positions.
- chain transfer agents typically have the formula Rl n , where R may be a C 1 -C 3 hydrocarbon, a C-i-C ⁇ fluorohydrocarbon or chlorofluorohydrocarbon, or a C 2 -C ⁇ perfluorocarbon, and n is 1 or 2 (U.S. Patent No. 4,243,770).
- iodine atom cure sites onto a fluoroelastomer polymer chain is by copolymerizing a minor amount of an iodine-containing fluoroolefin or fluorovinyl ether cure site monomer along with the major monomers (e.g. VF 2) HFP, TFE, PAVE, etc.). In this manner, cure sites may be randomly distributed along the resulting fluoroelastomer polymer chain (U.S. Patent Nos. 4,529,759; 4,694,045). However, each iodine-containing cure site monomer that is introduced in this way itself acts as a chain transfer agent.
- the resulting fluoroelastomers may be highly branched and show unacceptably poor rheology. In many cases the resulting fluoroelastomer will be branched to such a degree as to display insoluble gel (EP-A-0171290). While such polymers will display excellent physical properties such as compression set, their poor flow behavior precludes them from practical use and their gel content causes poor hot tear strength and poor demolding.
- iodine cure sites may be introduced both along the fluoroelastomer polymer chain and at terminal positions by a combination of the above methods (EP-A-0171290; and U.S. Patent No. 5,717,036)
- a highly branched polymer may similarly be obtained, albeit with lower overall molecular weight.
- the fluoroelastomer molecular weight may be too low to displace trapped air during compression molding or may lead to mold fouling, poor tensile strength, or poor compression set.
- Arcella et al. attempt to address this problem by use of a cure site in which the iodine is attached to a short length of hydrocarbon chain.
- the cure site monomer does not serve as an active chain transfer agent during polymerization.
- the reactivity of a -CH 2 CH 2 I site is less than that of a -CF 2 CF 2 I site and cure times are longer.
- the presence of a -CH 2 CH 2 I group during polymerization is highly retarding and excessive amounts of polymerization initiator are required in order to maintain a desirable polymerization rate.
- Another difficulty when using this class of cure site monomers in a batch process is that they are so highly retarding that polymerization times are prolonged to undesirable lengths.
- the present invention provides a peroxide curable fluoroelastomer having excellent processability and wherein the cured fluoroelastomer has excellent tensile properties.
- the fluoroelastomer comprises copolymerized units of (A) a first fluoromonomer selected from the group consisting of vinylidene fluoride and tetrafluoroethylene;
- CH 2 CH-(CF2) n l, where n is an integer between 2 and 8; and (D) 0.01 to 1 weight percent, based on total weight of said fluoroelastomer, of iodine bound at terminal positions of fluoroelastomer polymer chains.
- Another aspect of the present invention is a curable fluoroelastomer composition
- a curable fluoroelastomer composition comprising:
- Another aspect of the present invention is a semibatch polymerization process for the manufacture of the above fluoroelastomer comprising:
- the present invention is directed to peroxide curable fluoroelastomers which have excellent processability and tensile properties.
- the fluoroelastomers mold and de-mold well with very little, if any, sticking or mold fouling.
- the fluoroelastomers of this invention comprise copolymerized units of a first major monomer which may be vinylidene fluoride (VF 2 ) or tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) and one or more additional major monomers, different from said first monomer, selected from the group consisting of fluorine-containing olefins, fluorine-containing ethers and mixtures thereof.
- VF 2 vinylidene fluoride
- TFE tetrafluoroethylene
- the fluoroelastomers contain between 20 and 70 weight percent, based on the weight of the fluoroelastomer, of a first monomer and between 80 and 30 weight percent, total, of one or more additional major monomers.
- major monomer is meant a monomer, other than a cure site monomer, that forms copolymerized units that make up the backbone of the fluoroelastomer polymer chain.
- fluorine-containing olefins copolymerizable with the first monomer include, but are not limited to, vinylidene fluoride, hexafluoropropylene (HFP), tetrafluoroethylene (TFE), 1 ,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropene (1-HPFP), chlorotrifiuoroethylene (CTFE) and vinyl fluoride.
- the fluorine-containing ethers employed in the present invention include, but are not limited to perfluoro(alkyl vinyl ethers), perfluoro(alkyl alkenyl ethers) and perfluoro(alkoxy alkenylethers).
- Perfluoro(alkyl vinyl ethers) (PAVE) suitable for use as monomers include those of the formula where R f and R f are different linear or branched perfluoroalkylene groups of 2-6 carbon atoms, m and n are independently 0-10, and R f is a perfluoroalkyl group of 1-6 carbon atoms.
- a preferred class of perfluoro(alkyl vinyl ethers) includes compositions of the formula
- CF 2 CFO(CF 2 CFXO) n Rf (II) where X is F or CF3, n is 0-5, and Rf is a perfluoroalkyl group of 1-6 carbon atoms.
- a most preferred class of perfluoro(alkyl vinyl ethers) includes those ethers wherein n is 0 or 1 and R f contains 1-3 carbon atoms. Examples of such perfluorinated ethers include perfluoro(methyl vinyl ether) (PMVE) and perfluoro(propyl vinyl ether) (PPVE).
- Other useful monomers include compounds of the formula
- CF2 CFO[(CF2CF ⁇ CF3 ⁇ O)n(CF2CF2CF 2 O) m (CF2)p]C x F2 ⁇ + ⁇ (IV)
- Perfluoro(alkyl alkenyl ethers) suitable for use as monomers include those of the formula VI
- R f O(CF 2 ) n CF CF 2 (VI)
- R f is a perfluorinated linear or branched aliphatic group containing 1-20, preferably 1-10, and most preferably 1-4 carbon atoms and n is an integer between 1 and 4. Specific examples include, but are not limited to perfluoro(propoxyallyl ether) and perfluoro(propoxybutenyl ether).
- Perfluoro(alkoxy alkenyl ethers) differ from perfluoro(alkyl alkenyl ethers) in that R f in formula VI contains at least one oxygen atom in the aliphatic chain.
- R f in formula VI contains at least one oxygen atom in the aliphatic chain.
- a specific example includes, but is not limited to perfluoro(methoxyethoxyallyl ether).
- the ether unit content generally ranges from 25 to 75 weight percent, based on the total weight of the fluoroelastomer. If perfluoro(methyl vinyl) ether is used, then the fluoroelastomer preferably contains between 30 and 55 wt.% copolymerized PMVE units.
- n is 2 and the cure site monomer is 4-iodo-3,3,4,4-tetrafluorobutene-1 (ITFB).
- Units of cure site monomer are typically present in fluoroelastomers at a level of 0.05 to 4 wt.%, preferably 0.1 to 2 wt.% and most preferably between 0.2 and 1 wt%.
- iodine-containing endgroups are present at one or both of the fluoroelastomer polymer chain ends as a result of the use of chain transfer or molecular weight regulating agents during preparation of the fluoroelastomers.
- the amount of chain transfer agent is calculated to result in an iodine level (not including iodine from the cure site monomer) in the fluoroelastomer in the range of 0.005 to 2 wt.%, preferably 0.05 to 1 wt.%, most preferably 0.075 to 0.5 wt.%.
- the chain transfer agent is of the formula Rl ⁇ where R is a perfluoroalkyl or a chloroperfluoroalkyl group having 3 to 10 carbon atoms and x is 1 or 2.
- the chain transfer agent employed may actually be a mixture of compounds having the latter general formula. Specific examples include, but are not limited to 1 ,3-diiodoperfluoropropane; 1 ,4- diiodoperfluorobutane; 1 ,6-diiodoperfluorohexane; 1 ,8- diiodoperfluorooctane; 1 ,10-diiodoperfluorodecane; and monoiodoperfluorobutane.
- chain transfer agents such as those of formula RBr n l m (R is as defined above; n and m each are 1 or 2) may also be used. Particularly preferred are diiodinated perfluoroalkane chain transfer agents and mixtures thereof.
- fluoroelastomers of this invention include fluoroelastomers comprising copolymerized units of i) 30 to 60 wt.% VF 2 / 15 to 30 wt.% TFE/ 25 to 45 wt.% HFP/ 0.1 to 0.4 wt.% ITFB and 0.05 to 0.40 wt.% I at chain ends; ii) 20 to 65 wt.% VF 2 / 5 to 30 wt.% TFE/ 30 to 45 wt.% PMVE/ 0.1 to 0.4 wt.% ITFB and 0.05 to 0.40 wt.% I at chain ends; and iii) 44 to 60 wt.% TFE/ 39 to 55 wt.% PMVE/ 0.1 to 0.4 wt.% ITFB and 0.05 to 0.40 wt.% I at chain ends.
- the fluoroelastomers of this invention have a minimum number average molecular weight (Mn) of 70,000 and very little, if any, branching. Branching causes gel, a high molecular weight, insoluble portion of a fluoroelastomer gum.
- Mn number average molecular weight
- branching causes gel, a high molecular weight, insoluble portion of a fluoroelastomer gum.
- the relative amount of branching in a polymer may be determined by measuring the weight percent (based on total weight of fluoroelastomer) of undissolved solids (i.e. gel) remaining from an otherwise dissolved fluoroelastomer.
- An appropriate solvent for the vinylidene fluoride-containing fluoroelastomers of this invention is methyl ethyl ketone.
- FluorinertTM FC-77 (available from 3M) may be used for the TFE/PMVE fluoroelastomers of this invention.
- a 1 wt.% dispersion of fluoroelastomer in solvent is allowed to sit overnight at room temperature.
- the dispersion is then separated by filtration or centrifugation and the solids measured directly by weighing, or indirectly by first determining the amount of dissolved fluoroelastomer in the filtrate or supernatant (U.S.
- the fluoroelastomers of this invention contain less than 5 wt.% gel, preferably less than 2 wt.% gel, most preferably less than 1 wt.% gel. Due to such low gel levels, the fluoroelastomers of this invention have excellent hot tear strength and are easily removed from molds.
- a gaseous major monomer mixture of a desired composition is introduced into a reactor which contains an aqueous solution.
- the reactor is typically not completely filled with the aqueous solution, so that a vapor space remains.
- the aqueous solution comprises a fluorosurfactant dispersing agent such as ammonium perfluorooctanoate, Zonyl® FS-62 (available from DuPont) or Forafac® 1033D (available from Atofina).
- the aqueous solution may contain a pH buffer, such as a phosphate or acetate buffer for controlling the pH of the polymerization reaction.
- a base such as NaOH may be used to control pH.
- pH is controlled to between 1 and 7 (preferably 3-7), depending upon the type of fluoroelastomer being made.
- pH buffer or base may be added to the reactor at various times throughout the polymerization reaction, either alone or in combination with other ingredients such as polymerization initiator, liquid cure site monomer or chain transfer agent.
- the initial aqueous solution may contain a water-soluble inorganic peroxide polymerization initiator such as ammonium persulfate (or other persulfate salt), or the combination of an inorganic peroxide and a reducing agent such as the combination of ammonium persulfate and sodium sulfite.
- the initial monomer charge contains a quantity of a first major monomer of either TFE or VF 2 and one or more additional major monomers which are different from the first monomer.
- the amount of major monomer mixture contained in the initial charge is set so as to result in a reactor pressure between 0.5 and 10 MPa (preferably between 0.5 and 3.5 MPa).
- the relative amount of each monomer is dictated by reaction kinetics and is set so as to result in a fluoroelastomer having the desired ratio of copolymerized monomer units (i.e. very slow reacting monomers must be present in a higher amount relative to the other monomers than is desired in the composition of the fluoroelastomer to be produced).
- the major monomer mixture is dispersed in the aqueous medium and a chain transfer agent may also be introduced at this point while the reaction mixture is agitated, typically by mechanical stirring.
- the chain transfer agent may be introduced at any point up to when 50% (preferably prior to 20%) of the total amount of incremental major monomer mixture (as defined hereinafter) has been fed to the reactor.
- the entire amount of chain transfer agent may be added at one time, or addition may be spread out over time, up to the point when 100% of the incremental major monomer mixture has been added to the reactor.
- the chain transfer agent is introduced to the reactor before polymerization begins, or shortly thereafter, and the entire amount of chain transfer agent is fed to the reactor by the time that 5% of the total amount of incremental major monomer mixture has been fed to the reactor.
- the temperature of the semi-batch reaction mixture is maintained in the range of 25°C - 130°C, preferably 30°C - 90°C.
- Polymerization begins when the initiator either thermally decomposes or reacts with reducing agent and the resulting radicals react with dispersed monomer. Additional quantities of the major monomers (referred to herein as incremental major monomer mixture feed) are added at a controlled rate throughout the polymerization in order to maintain a constant reactor pressure at a controlled temperature.
- the relative ratio of major monomers contained in the incremental major monomer mixture feed is set to be approximately the same as the desired ratio of copolymerized monomer units in the resulting fluoroelastomer.
- the incremental major monomer mixture feed contains between 20 and 70 weight percent, based on the total weight of the monomer mixture, of a first monomer of either TFE or VF 2 and 80 to 30 weight percent (total) of one or more additional major monomers that are different from the first monomer.
- Additional chain transfer agent may also, optionally, be continued to be added to the reactor at any point during this stage of the polymerization.
- Additional fluorosurfactant and polymerization initiator may also be fed to the reactor during this stage.
- the amount of polymer formed is approximately equal to the cumulative amount of incremental major monomer mixture feed.
- the molar ratio of monomers in the incremental major monomer mixture feed is not necessarily exactly the same as that of the desired copolymerized monomer unit composition in the resulting fluoroelastomer because the composition of the initial charge may not be exactly that required for the desired final fluoroelastomer composition, or because a portion of the monomers in the incremental major monomer mixture feed may dissolve into the polymer particles already formed, without reacting.
- a stream of cure site monomer is begun to be fed to the reactor at a rate so as to result in the entire amount of cure site monomer being fed to the reactor by the time that 99% of the incremental major monomer mixture has been fed.
- cure site monomer feed to the reactor is begun after 25% of the incremental major monomer mixture has been fed, most preferably, after 33% of the incremental major monomer mixture has been fed to the reactor.
- cure site monomer is begun to be introduced to the reactor prior to when 10% of incremental major monomer mixture has been fed, the polymerization rate will be severely retarded or completely quenched. If cure site monomer is begun to be added after 90% of the incremental major monomer mixture has been fed, the resulting fluoroelastomer will have poor heat resistance, indicating poor incorporation of cure site monomer along the growing polymer chains. Surprisingly, desirable fluoroelastomer may be produced when cure site monomer feed is started any time between when 10% and 90% of the total amount of incremental major monomer mixture has been fed to the reactor. Those skilled in the art would predict that cure site monomer should be added from the beginning of the reaction in order to obtain polymer having desirable properties.
- Total polymerization times in the range of from 2 to 30 hours are typically employed in this semi-batch polymerization process.
- the resulting fluoroelastomer dispersion may be isolated, filtered, washed and dried by conventional techniques employed in the fluoroelastomer manufacturing industry.
- Peroxide curable fluoroelastomer compositions of this invention comprise a) a fluoroelastomer of this invention (as defined above), b) an organic peroxide, and c) a coagent.
- the compositions also contain an acid acceptor such as a divalent metal hydroxide, a divalent metal oxide, a strongly basic (i.e. pKa>10) organic amine such as ProtonSponge® (available from Aldrich), or a combination of any of the latter.
- divalent metal oxides and hydroxides include CaO, Ca(OH) 2 and MgO.
- Organic peroxides suitable for use include, but are not limited to 1 , 1 -bis(t-butylperoxy)-3,5,5-trimethylcyclohexane; 1 , 1 -bis(t- butylperoxy)cyclohexane; 2,2-bis(t-butylperoxy)octane; n-butyl-4, 4-bis(t- butylperoxy)valerate; 2,2-bis(t-butylperoxy)butane; 2,5-dimethylhexane- 2,5-dihydroxyperoxide; di-t-butyl peroxide; t-butylcumyl peroxide; dicumyl peroxide; alpha, alpha'-bis(t-butylperoxy-m-isopropyl)benzene; 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-di(t-butylperoxy)hexane; 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-di(t-butylperoxy)
- organic peroxides include 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-di(t-butylperoxy)hexane, dicumyl peroxide, and alpha, alpha'-bis(t-butylperoxy-m-isopropyl)benzene.
- the amount compounded is generally in the range of 0.05-5 parts by weight, preferably in the range of 0.1-3 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the fluoroelastomer. This particular range is selected because if the peroxide is present in an amount of less than 0.05 parts by weight, the vulcanization rate is insufficient and causes poor mold release. On the other hand, if the peroxide is present in amounts of greater than 5 parts by weight, the compression set of the cured polymer becomes unacceptably high.
- the organic peroxides may be used singly or in combinations of two or more types.
- Coagents employed in the curable compositions of this invention are polyfunctional unsaturated compounds such as triallyl cyanurate, trimethacryl isocyanurate, triallyl isocyanurate, trimethallyl isocyanurate, triacryl formal, triallyl trimellitate, N.N'-m-phenylene bismaleimide, diallyl phthalate, tetraallylterephthalamide, tri(diallylamine)-s-triazine, triallyl phosphite, bis-olefins and N,N-diallylacrylamide.
- the amount compounded is generally in the range of 0.1-10 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the fluoroelastomer.
- This particular concentration range is selected because if the coagent is present in amounts less than 0.1 part by weight, crosslink density of the cured polymer is unacceptable. On the other hand, if the coagent is present in amounts above 10 parts by weight, it blooms to the surface during molding, resulting in poor mold release characteristics.
- the preferable range of coagent is 0.2-6 parts by weight per 100 parts fluoroelastomer.
- the unsaturated compounds may be used singly or as a combination of two or more types.
- fillers such as carbon black, Austin black, graphite, thermoplastic fluoropolymer micropowders, silica, clay, diatomaceous earth, talc, wollastonite, calcium carbonate, calcium silicate, calcium fluoride, and barium sulfate
- processing aides such as higher fatty acid esters, fatty acid calcium salts, fatty acidamides (e.g. erucamide), low molecular weight polyethylene, silicone oil, silicone grease, stearic acid, sodium stearate, calcium stearate, magnesium stearate, aluminum stearate, and zinc stearate
- coloring agents such as titanium white and iron red may be used as compounding additives in the compositions of this invention.
- the amount of such filler is generally in the range of 0.1-100 parts by weight, preferably 1-60 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of the fluoroelastomer. This range is selected because if the filler is present in amounts of less than 0.1 part by weight, there is little or no effect, while, on the other hand, if greater than 100 parts by weight are used, elasticity is sacrificed.
- the amount of processing aid compounded is generally less than 10 parts by weight, preferably less than 5 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of the fluoroelastomer. If the amount used is above the limit, heat resistance is adversely affected.
- the amount of a coloring agent compounded is generally less than 50 parts by weight, preferably less than 30 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the fluoroelastomer. If greater than 50 parts by weight is used, compression set suffers.
- the fluoroelastomer, organic peroxide, coagent, and any other ingredients are generally incorporated into the curable compositions of the invention by means of an internal mixer or rubber mill.
- the resulting composition may then be shaped (e.g. molded or extruded) and cured. Curing typically takes place at about 150°-200°C for 1 to 60 minutes.
- Conventional rubber curing presses, molds, extruders, and the like provided with suitable heating and curing means can be used.
- it is preferred to carry out a post curing operation wherein the molded or extruded article is heated in an oven or the like for an additional period of about 1-48 hours, typically from about 180°-275°C, generally in an air atmosphere.
- the fluoroelastomers of this invention are useful in many industrial applications including seals, wire coatings, tubing and laminates.
- TEST METHODS Mooney viscosity, ML (1 + 10), was determined according to ASTM D1646 with an L (large) type rotor at 121 °C (unless otherwise noted), using a preheating time of one minute and rotor operation time of 10 minutes.
- Methyl ethyl ketone was employed as solvent (0.1 g polymer in 100 ml solvent) for fluoroelastomers that contained copolymerized units of vinylidene fluoride.
- a mixed solvent of 60/40/3 volume ratio of heptafluoro-2,2,3- trichlorobutane, perfluoro( ⁇ -butyltetrahydrofuran) and ethylene glycol dimethyl ether was used (0.2 g polymer in 100 ml solvent) for fluoroelastomers containing copolymerized units of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoro(methyl vinyl ether).
- T B tensile strength in units of MPa (ISO 37)
- E B elongation at break in units of % (ISO 37)
- T g glass transition temperature was measured by differential scanning calorimetry using a 10°C/minute heating rate. Hardness (Shore A, ISO 868)
- a 40 liter reactor was charged with a solution containing 290 grams of ammonium perfluorooctanoate and 24,710 grams of water. The solution was heated to 80°C. After removal of trace oxygen, the reactor was then charged with 732 grams of a mixture of 52.7 wt.% vinylidene fluoride (VF 2 ), 42.4 wt.% perfluoro(methyl vinyl ether) (PMVE), and 4.9 wt.% tetrafluoroethylene (TFE), bringing reactor pressure to 1453 kPa.
- VF 2 vinylidene fluoride
- PMVE 42.4 wt.% perfluoro(methyl vinyl ether)
- TFE 4.9 wt.% tetrafluoroethylene
- a 32.0 g mixture of 49.3 mol% 1 ,4-diiodoperfluorobutane, 34.8 mol% 1 ,6- diiodoperfluorohexane, 12.6 mol% 1 ,8-diiodoperfluorooctane, and 3.3 mol% 1 ,10-perfluorodecane was then charged to the reactor and the reactor was agitated for 60 minutes. The reactor was then charged with 50 ml of a buffered aqueous polymerization initiator solution containing 1 wt.% ammonium persulfate and 5 wt.% disodium phosphate.
- the reactor was fed with a mixture (incremental feed) of 54.7 wt.% VF 2 , 34.8 wt.% PMVE and 10.5 wt.% TFE. Additional initiator solution was added to maintain polymerization rate. After 4000 grams of the latter monomer mixture had been fed, corresponding to 77 ml total initiator solution added, the liquid cure site monomer 4-iodo-3,3,4,4- tetrafluorobutene-1 (ITFB) was introduced to the reactor at a feed rate of 3.19 g ITFB per 1000 g monomer.
- ITFB liquid cure site monomer 4-iodo-3,3,4,4- tetrafluorobutene-1
- the resulting fluoroelastomer (Polymer 1 ) had an inherent viscosity of 0.99 dl/g, a ML (1 +10) at 121 °C of 78 and contained 53.6 wt.% copolymerized units of VF 2 , 33.3 wt.% PMVE, 13.0 wt.% TFE and 0.18 wt.% I.
- the number average molecular weight (Mn) was 185,600 as determined by size exclusion chromatography.
- the crumb was filtered, washed 4 times with deionized water and dried.
- the resulting fluoroelastomer (Polymer 2) had an inherent viscosity of 0.31 dl/g, a ML(1 +10) at 149°C of 68 and contained 55.4 wt.% TFE, 44.5 wt.% PMVE and 0.22 wt.% I.
- the fluoroelastomer had a glass transition temperature of 2.9°C.
- the crumb was filtered, washed 4 times with deionized water and dried.
- the resulting fluoroelastomer (Polymer 3) had an inherent viscosity of 0.43 dl/g, a ML (1+10) 121°C of 50 and contained 49.8 wt.% VF 2 , 19.5 wt.% TFE, 30.5 wt.% HFP and 0.20 wt.% I.
- the fluoroelastomer had a Tg of -17°C.
- the reactor was then charged with 650 g of a mixture of 43.0 wt.% VF 2 , 50.0 wt.% PMVE, and 7.0 wt.% TFE to a pressure of 1280 kPa. Then 40.0 ml of a 1 wt.% ammonium persulfate/5 wt.% disodium phosphate heptahydrate initiator aqueous solution was charged to the reactor to initiate polymerization. As the reactor pressure dropped due to monomer consumption, the reactor was fed with a mixture of 55.0 wt.% VF 2 , 35.0 wt.% PMVE, and 10.0 wt.% TFE to maintain the reactor pressure at 1280 kPa.
- the resulting latex had a solids content of 26.17% and a pH of 3.96.
- the latex was isolated by coagulation with potassium aluminum sulfate solution. The crumb was filtered, washed 4 times with deionized water and dried.
- the resulting fluoroelastomer (Control Polymer A) had an inherent viscosity of 0.83 dl/g, a ML(1 +10) 121 °C of 64 and contained 54.0 wt.% VF2, 11.8 wt.% TFE, 34.1 wt.% HFP and 0.12 wt.% I.
- the fluoroelastomer had a Tg of -29°C.
- the reactor was charged with 732 g of a mixture of 42.2 wt. % VF 2 , 52.8 wt.% PMVE, and 5.0 wt.% TFE to a pressure of 1452 kPa. Then 50.0 ml of a 1 wt.% ammonium persulfate/5 wt.% disodium phosphate heptahydrate aqueous initiator solution was charged to the reactor to initiate polymerization. As the reactor pressure dropped due to monomer consumption, the reactor was fed with a mixture of 55.0 wt. % VF 2 , 35.0 wt.% PMVE, and 10.0 wt.% TFE to maintain the reactor pressure at 1452 kPa.
- Additional initiator solution was added to maintain polymerization rate. After 6085 g of this monomer mixture had been fed, corresponding to the addition of 59 ml of additional initiator solution, 4-iodo-3,3,4,4- tetrafluorobutene-1 (ITFB) was introduced to the reactor at a feed rate of 6.38 g ITFB per 1000 g monomer. After a total of 8170 g monomer had been fed, corresponding to a total of 169 ml initiator solution, monomer and initiator feeds were discontinued and the reactor was cooled. The resulting latex had a solids content of 25.56% and a pH of 6.8. The latex was isolated by coagulation with potassium aluminum sulfate solution.
- the crumb was filtered, washed 4 times with deionized water and dried.
- the resulting fluoroelastomer (Polymer 4) had an inherent viscosity of 0.88 dl/g, a ML (1+10) 121 °C of 66 and contained 52.8 wt.% VF 2> 14.4 wt.% TFE, 32.7 wt.% HFP and 0.20 wt.% I.
- the fluoroelastomer had a Tg of - 29°C.
- Example 5 A curable composition of the invention (Sample 1 ) was made by mixing a fluoroelastomer of the invention prepared in Example 4 above (Polymer 4) with an organic peroxide, coagent and other ingredients on a conventional two-roll rubber mill, using standard mixing techniques employed in the elastomer industry.
- a comparative curable composition (Comparative Sample A) was made by the same procedure except that a fluoroelastomer of the prior art (Control Polymer A prepared above), not containing ITFB cure site monomer units was used. The formulations are shown in Table I.
- compositions were molded into slabs and press cured at 177°C for 7 minutes, followed by post curing at 232°C for 15 hours. Tensile properties were measured according to the Test Methods and are also shown in Table I. The slabs were then aged at 275°C in an air oven for 70 hours. The tensile properties of the aged slabs are shown in Table I.
- the curable composition of the invention (Sample 1 ) that contains a fluoroelastomer of the invention having ITFB cure site monomer retained its tensile strength much better than the comparative composition whose fluoroelastomer lacked ITFB.
Abstract
Description
Claims
Priority Applications (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
JP2004521548A JP4795685B2 (en) | 2002-07-11 | 2003-07-02 | Peroxide curable fluoroelastomer |
EP03751786A EP1551889B1 (en) | 2002-07-11 | 2003-07-02 | Peroxide curable fluoroelastomers |
DE60320285T DE60320285T2 (en) | 2002-07-11 | 2003-07-02 | PEROXIDE-CURABLE FLUORELASTOMERS |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US10/193,435 | 2002-07-11 | ||
US10/193,435 US6646077B1 (en) | 2002-07-11 | 2002-07-11 | Peroxide curable fluoroelastomers |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
WO2004007577A1 true WO2004007577A1 (en) | 2004-01-22 |
Family
ID=29400912
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/US2003/021247 WO2004007577A1 (en) | 2002-07-11 | 2003-07-02 | Peroxide curable fluoroelastomers |
Country Status (8)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (2) | US6646077B1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP1551889B1 (en) |
JP (1) | JP4795685B2 (en) |
KR (1) | KR101026908B1 (en) |
CN (1) | CN1297578C (en) |
DE (1) | DE60320285T2 (en) |
TW (1) | TWI291965B (en) |
WO (1) | WO2004007577A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP2327730A1 (en) * | 2003-01-24 | 2011-06-01 | Daikin Industries, Limited | Process for preparing vulcanizable fluorine-containing elastomer |
Families Citing this family (39)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
PT1751843E (en) * | 2003-08-29 | 2012-11-30 | Stanford Res Inst Int | Electroactive polymer pre-strain |
ATE413418T1 (en) * | 2004-09-09 | 2008-11-15 | 3M Innovative Properties Co | FLUOROPOLYMER FOR PRODUCING A FLUOROOELASTOMER |
US7943685B2 (en) * | 2005-04-13 | 2011-05-17 | R.T. Vanderbilt Company, Inc. | Composition and method for curing latex compounds |
US8932706B2 (en) | 2005-10-27 | 2015-01-13 | Multi-Color Corporation | Laminate with a heat-activatable expandable layer |
CN100420701C (en) * | 2005-12-23 | 2008-09-24 | 上海三爱富新材料股份有限公司 | Fluorine elastomer and preparation method thereof |
JP5602626B2 (en) | 2007-06-29 | 2014-10-08 | アーティフィシャル マッスル,インク. | Electroactive polymer transducer for sensory feedback applications |
WO2009036131A2 (en) * | 2007-09-14 | 2009-03-19 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Ultra low viscosity iodine containing amorphous fluoropolymers |
US20090227726A1 (en) * | 2008-03-04 | 2009-09-10 | Dupont Performance Elastomers L.L.C. | Peroxide curable fluoroelastomer compositions and articles made therefrom |
CN101981116B (en) | 2008-03-27 | 2013-03-06 | 大金工业株式会社 | Peroxide cross-linked fluorine-containing elastomer composition |
US20090292094A1 (en) * | 2008-05-21 | 2009-11-26 | E. I. Dupont De Nemours And Company | Fluoropolymer Composition |
US8153198B2 (en) * | 2008-05-21 | 2012-04-10 | E I Du Pont De Nemours And Company | Fluoropolymer solutions, coatings and coated articles |
US20090291283A1 (en) * | 2008-05-21 | 2009-11-26 | E.I. Dupont De Nemours And Company | Fluoropolymer films |
TWI482784B (en) * | 2009-02-13 | 2015-05-01 | Solvay Solexis Spa | Perfluoroelastomer |
EP2373704A4 (en) * | 2009-03-05 | 2012-10-17 | Daikin Ind Ltd | Fluoroelastomer, curable composition and cured rubber article |
EP2239793A1 (en) | 2009-04-11 | 2010-10-13 | Bayer MaterialScience AG | Electrically switchable polymer film structure and use thereof |
TWI542269B (en) | 2011-03-01 | 2016-07-11 | 拜耳材料科學股份有限公司 | Automated manufacturing processes for producing deformable polymer devices and films |
KR20140019801A (en) | 2011-03-22 | 2014-02-17 | 바이엘 인텔렉쳐 프로퍼티 게엠베하 | Electroactive polymer actuator lenticular system |
US20130053519A1 (en) * | 2011-08-31 | 2013-02-28 | E. I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company | Acid resistant fluoroelastomer compositions |
US20130158154A1 (en) * | 2011-12-15 | 2013-06-20 | E.I.Du Pont De Nemours And Company | Coagent for free radical curing fluoroelastomers |
CN102558719B (en) * | 2011-12-29 | 2014-07-02 | 中昊晨光化工研究院 | Low-temperature-resistant elastic body containing fluorine and preparation method thereof |
EP2828901B1 (en) | 2012-03-21 | 2017-01-04 | Parker Hannifin Corporation | Roll-to-roll manufacturing processes for producing self-healing electroactive polymer devices |
WO2013192143A1 (en) | 2012-06-18 | 2013-12-27 | Bayer Intellectual Property Gmbh | Stretch frame for stretching process |
PL2909162T3 (en) | 2012-10-17 | 2017-03-31 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Method of making alpha, omega-diiodoperfluoroalkanes |
US9590193B2 (en) | 2012-10-24 | 2017-03-07 | Parker-Hannifin Corporation | Polymer diode |
WO2014099311A1 (en) | 2012-12-19 | 2014-06-26 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Method of making fluoropolymers with a polyiodide, compositions and articles thereof |
CN103342772B (en) * | 2013-07-12 | 2015-08-05 | 中昊晨光化工研究院有限公司 | A kind of preparation method of fluoroelastomer of available peroxide cure |
CN103755856A (en) * | 2013-12-16 | 2014-04-30 | 江苏梅兰化工有限公司 | Production of peroxide sulfuration fluoroelastomer |
CN103709306A (en) * | 2013-12-30 | 2014-04-09 | 江苏梅兰化工有限公司 | Nano emulsion of peroxide vulcanized fluororubber and polymerization method thereof |
US9982091B2 (en) | 2014-03-06 | 2018-05-29 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Highly fluorinated elastomers |
WO2017011379A1 (en) | 2015-07-13 | 2017-01-19 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Fluorinated block copolymers |
JP6908604B2 (en) | 2015-10-23 | 2021-07-28 | スリーエム イノベイティブ プロパティズ カンパニー | A composition containing an amorphous fluoropolymer and fluoroplastic particles and a method for producing the same. |
US11078354B2 (en) | 2016-01-26 | 2021-08-03 | E.I. Deupont De Nemours And Company | Fluoroelastomer compounds |
CN109476875A (en) * | 2016-06-13 | 2019-03-15 | 索尔维特殊聚合物意大利有限公司 | Curable fluoroelastomer composition |
EP3571247A4 (en) | 2017-01-18 | 2020-11-11 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Fluorinated block copolymers |
WO2018136332A1 (en) * | 2017-01-18 | 2018-07-26 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Fluorinated block copolymers derived from cure-site monomers |
JP2020504225A (en) | 2017-01-18 | 2020-02-06 | スリーエム イノベイティブ プロパティズ カンパニー | Fluorinated block copolymers derived from nitrile cure site monomers |
WO2018225789A1 (en) * | 2017-06-06 | 2018-12-13 | 日本ゼオン株式会社 | Rubber crosslinked product and method for manufacturing for same |
JP7156309B2 (en) * | 2017-12-06 | 2022-10-19 | Agc株式会社 | Fluorine-containing elastic copolymer and method for producing fluorine-containing elastic copolymer |
CN111057178B (en) * | 2019-12-31 | 2022-03-29 | 山东华夏神舟新材料有限公司 | Preparation method of low-pressure-change fluorine-containing elastomer |
Citations (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP0171290A2 (en) * | 1984-08-09 | 1986-02-12 | E.I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company | Improved fluoropolymer |
US5674959A (en) * | 1994-05-18 | 1997-10-07 | Ausimont S.P.A. | Peroxide curable fluoroelastomers, particularly suitable for manufacturing O-rings |
US20010023280A1 (en) * | 2000-02-17 | 2001-09-20 | Frantz Duvalsaint | Process for producing fluoroelastomers |
US20020037985A1 (en) * | 2000-09-22 | 2002-03-28 | Lyons Donald F. | Process for producing fluoroelastomers |
Family Cites Families (15)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3839305A (en) * | 1970-12-14 | 1974-10-01 | Du Pont | Method of making vinylidene fluoride copolymers |
JPS53125491A (en) | 1977-04-08 | 1978-11-01 | Daikin Ind Ltd | Fluorine-containing polymer easily curable and its curable composition |
JPS6155238A (en) * | 1984-08-27 | 1986-03-19 | 敷島紡績株式会社 | Method for drawing out yarn end loom winder residual yarn wooden pipe |
US4529759A (en) | 1984-12-07 | 1985-07-16 | E. I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company | Peroxide-curable brominated or iodinated fluoroelastomer composition containing an N,N,N',N'-tetrasubstituted 1,8-diaminonaphthalene |
US4694045A (en) | 1985-12-11 | 1987-09-15 | E. I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company | Base resistant fluoroelastomers |
DE3689832T2 (en) * | 1985-07-12 | 1994-11-17 | Du Pont | Peroxide curable brominated fluoroelastomer blends. |
US5384374A (en) * | 1991-01-11 | 1995-01-24 | Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company | Curing fluorocarbon elastomers |
JPH04288305A (en) | 1991-03-15 | 1992-10-13 | Nippon Mektron Ltd | Production of peroxide-vulcanizable fluoroelastomer |
US5214106A (en) | 1991-05-22 | 1993-05-25 | E. I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company | Cured fluoroelastomer compositions |
JP3259317B2 (en) | 1992-02-14 | 2002-02-25 | 日本メクトロン株式会社 | Method of producing peroxide-curable fluorine-containing elastomer |
IT1265461B1 (en) | 1993-12-29 | 1996-11-22 | Ausimont Spa | FLUOROELASTOMERS INCLUDING MONOMERIC UNITS ARISING FROM A BIS-OLEPHINE |
JP3327016B2 (en) | 1994-12-06 | 2002-09-24 | ダイキン工業株式会社 | Fluororubber copolymer excellent in low-temperature sealability and its curing composition |
DE69617042T2 (en) * | 1995-12-28 | 2002-06-06 | Daikin Ind Ltd | FLUORINE, ELASTIC COPOLYMERS, HARDENABLE COMPOSITION AND SEALANT MADE THEREOF |
EP0845482B1 (en) | 1996-11-29 | 2000-02-02 | Nippon Mektron, Ltd. | Process for producing fluorine-containing elastomer |
US6191208B1 (en) * | 1998-05-20 | 2001-02-20 | Dupont Dow Elastomers L.L.S. | Thermally stable perfluoroelastomer composition |
-
2002
- 2002-07-11 US US10/193,435 patent/US6646077B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
2003
- 2003-06-24 TW TW092117145A patent/TWI291965B/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 2003-07-02 WO PCT/US2003/021247 patent/WO2004007577A1/en active Application Filing
- 2003-07-02 EP EP03751786A patent/EP1551889B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2003-07-02 CN CNB038160153A patent/CN1297578C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2003-07-02 JP JP2004521548A patent/JP4795685B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2003-07-02 DE DE60320285T patent/DE60320285T2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2003-07-02 KR KR1020057000431A patent/KR101026908B1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 2003-09-25 US US10/671,130 patent/US20040092684A1/en not_active Abandoned
Patent Citations (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP0171290A2 (en) * | 1984-08-09 | 1986-02-12 | E.I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company | Improved fluoropolymer |
US5674959A (en) * | 1994-05-18 | 1997-10-07 | Ausimont S.P.A. | Peroxide curable fluoroelastomers, particularly suitable for manufacturing O-rings |
US20010023280A1 (en) * | 2000-02-17 | 2001-09-20 | Frantz Duvalsaint | Process for producing fluoroelastomers |
US20020037985A1 (en) * | 2000-09-22 | 2002-03-28 | Lyons Donald F. | Process for producing fluoroelastomers |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP2327730A1 (en) * | 2003-01-24 | 2011-06-01 | Daikin Industries, Limited | Process for preparing vulcanizable fluorine-containing elastomer |
US8247505B2 (en) | 2003-01-24 | 2012-08-21 | Daikin Industries, Ltd. | Process for preparing vulcanizable fluorine-containing elastomer |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP1551889A1 (en) | 2005-07-13 |
US20040092684A1 (en) | 2004-05-13 |
EP1551889B1 (en) | 2008-04-09 |
CN1665852A (en) | 2005-09-07 |
DE60320285D1 (en) | 2008-05-21 |
KR20050025335A (en) | 2005-03-14 |
US6646077B1 (en) | 2003-11-11 |
DE60320285T2 (en) | 2009-05-14 |
KR101026908B1 (en) | 2011-04-04 |
CN1297578C (en) | 2007-01-31 |
TWI291965B (en) | 2008-01-01 |
JP4795685B2 (en) | 2011-10-19 |
JP2005532465A (en) | 2005-10-27 |
TW200400977A (en) | 2004-01-16 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
EP1551889B1 (en) | Peroxide curable fluoroelastomers | |
EP0407937B1 (en) | Fluoroelastomers with improved processability and process for preparing them | |
JP3103386B2 (en) | Fluor elastic body and manufacturing method thereof | |
US4948852A (en) | Peroxide-curable fluoroelastomers and chlorofluoroelastomers having bromine and iodine curesites and the preparation thereof | |
EP0784064B1 (en) | Fluoroelastomers comprising monomeric units deriving from a bis-olefin | |
EP2041215B1 (en) | (per)fluoroelastomeric compositions | |
EP2041203B1 (en) | (per)fluoroelastomeric compositions | |
US20070100062A1 (en) | Process for the manufacture of fluoroelastomers having bromine or lodine atom cure sites | |
KR101703372B1 (en) | Low temperature curable amorphous fluoropolymers | |
EP1109844B1 (en) | Fluoroelastomer composition having excellent processability and low temperature properties | |
US5639838A (en) | Fluoroelastomers endowed with high resistance to polar solvents and to bases | |
EP0979832B1 (en) | Fluoroelastomers | |
EP1709113A1 (en) | Fluoroelastomers with improved low temperature property and method for making the same | |
JP2004514777A (en) | Curable fluoroelastomer composition containing hydrosiloxane or hydrosilazane | |
US5077359A (en) | Peroxide-curable fluoroelastomers and chlorofluoroelastomers having bromine and iodine curesites and the preparation | |
WO2002044263A1 (en) | Fluoroelastomer composition having excellent processability and low temperature properties | |
US5219964A (en) | Fluoroelastomers endowed with improved processability and process for preparing them | |
GB2517481A (en) | Method of making peroxide fluoropolymers using non-fluorindated emulsifiers | |
JP4286775B2 (en) | Curable base resistant fluoroelastomer |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AK | Designated states |
Kind code of ref document: A1 Designated state(s): CN JP KR |
|
AL | Designated countries for regional patents |
Kind code of ref document: A1 Designated state(s): AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IT LU MC NL PT RO SE SI SK TR |
|
121 | Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application | ||
DFPE | Request for preliminary examination filed prior to expiration of 19th month from priority date (pct application filed before 20040101) | ||
WWE | Wipo information: entry into national phase |
Ref document number: 2003751786 Country of ref document: EP |
|
WWE | Wipo information: entry into national phase |
Ref document number: 2004521548 Country of ref document: JP Ref document number: 20038160153 Country of ref document: CN |
|
WWE | Wipo information: entry into national phase |
Ref document number: 1020057000431 Country of ref document: KR |
|
WWP | Wipo information: published in national office |
Ref document number: 1020057000431 Country of ref document: KR |
|
WWP | Wipo information: published in national office |
Ref document number: 2003751786 Country of ref document: EP |