Date of Award
5-2022
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Chemistry
Committee Chair/Advisor
Joseph S. Thrasher
Committee Member
William T. Pennington
Committee Member
Daniel C. Whitehead
Committee Member
Steve E. Creager
Abstract
The world of industry utilizes a variety of polymers for various applications in many prominent fields. From electronics to food storage, the versatility of this class of chemistry has been widely proven. The Thrasher research group undertook a program dedicated towards the development of a library of fluorinated materials that focused on the synthesis and characterization of perfluoroalkoxy (PFA) copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) and perfluoroalkyl trifluorovinyl ethers. One aim of the project was to improve upon the mechanical strength and wearability of commercial PFA resins by incorporating bulkier perfluoroalkoxy trifluorovinyl ether monomers into these copolymers. In addition to focusing on novel PFA materials, an academically accessible route to another monomer was sought out. With a previous history of synthesizing tetrafluoroethylene (TFE), a similar route was applied for the synthesis of trifluoroethylene (TrFE) through the utilization of tetrafluoropropionic acid salts. With a change in research direction, a final project focused on developing polyimide films for use in the electronics industry. The preparation of two novel diamines was accomplished, along with attempts to synthesis reference polyimide polymers. The synthesis of polyamic acids will be discussed, their conversion to polyimide films is still under investigation.
Recommended Citation
Hager, Cassandra J., "Synthesis of Fluorinated Monomers and Polymers for Various Applications" (2022). All Dissertations. 2993.
https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_dissertations/2993