| Abstract: | Static and dynamic light scattering experiments were performed to characterize the copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) and perfluoromethyl vinyl ether (PMVE). Solvents of perfluoro‐2‐butyltetrahydrofuran (FC‐75) and Flutec PP11 (PP11) were used to dissolve the TFE‐PMVE copolymer. By taking advantage of the solvent properties of FC‐75 and PP11, homogeneous TFE‐PMVE copolymer solutions were specially prepared in a FC‐75/PP11 mixed solvent. Such prepared solutions could provide a strong enough scattered intensity for light scattering studies. The molecular weight, molecular weight distribution, chain dimensions, and conformation were determined for the TFE‐PMVE copolymer in the FC‐75/PP11 mixed solvent. A combination of viscosity and molecular weight measurements enabled the calculation of the k value in the relation of η0 = k (Mw)3.4 and thus the prediction of the molecular weight of a given TFE‐PMVE copolymer with the same composition by using only the simpler and more readily available rheological measurements. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 77: 733–739, 2000 |
