Traditional fluorosilicones contain a siloxane backbone and pendant fluorinated group leading to low temperature ductility and excellent thermal stability. However, acidic or basic catalysts can reduce the thermal stability from a potential 350 °C to 150 °C. The predominant decomposition mechanism is through chain scission and it is hypothesized that preventing this will result in polymers with higher thermal stability. Three approaches were taken to prevent chain scission. First, a series of hybrid fluorosilicones based on (trifluorovinyl)benzene were synthesized through condensation polymerization with initial decomposition temperatures of approximately 240 °C. These were compared to similar aromatic polyethers and removal of the ether oxygen lowered the initial decomposition temperature by approximately 190 °C demonstrating the importance of this oxygen to the stability of polyethers. Second, reverse fluorosilicone (fluorinated backbone and pendant siloxane) terpolymers of chlorotrifluoroethylene (CTFE), vinyl acetate (VAc) and methacryloxypropyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMSMA) were synthesized in supercritical CO2 (scCO2) or by emulsion polymerization. Chain scission was prevented as initial decomposition occurred between 231 and 278 °C. In both the emulsion and scCO2 cases, VAc was essential in facilitating cross-propagation between CTFE and PDMSMA and the branching was similar suggesting polymerization media does not affect polymer structure. Emulsion-based polymers had higher molar masses and thermal stability whereas comparable scCO2 polymers had higher yields and incorporated more PDMSMA. Third, a series of homo-, co-, and terpolymers of CTFE, VAc and methacryloxypropyl-terminated silsesquioxane (POSSMA) were synthesized representing the first synthesis of POSSMA containing polymers in scCO2 and demonstrating reverse fluorosilicones can be synthesized without VAc. Chain scission was prevented as initial decomposition occurred from 244 to 296 °C with thermal stability increasing with CTFE content to a limit. Decomposition of the polymers was examined and mechanism elucidated. In air, the copolymers give 40 to 47 wt% char since the silsesquioxane oxidizes to SiO2 while in N2, no residue is seen. In contrast, the terpolymers give a carbonaceous residue of approximately 20 wt% in N2. The flammability and surface properties of the polymers were examined with the terpolymers having flammability similar to p(CTFE) and surface properties comparable to p(POSSMA) giving a low-flammability, hydrophobic polymer.

Traditional fluorosilicones contain a siloxane backbone and pendant fluorinated group leading to low temperature ductility and excellent thermal stability. However, acidic or basic catalysts can reduce the thermal stability from a potential 350 °C to 150 °C. The predominant decomposition mechanism is through chain scission and it is hypothesized that preventing this will result in polymers with higher thermal stability. Three approaches were taken to prevent chain scission. First, a series of hybrid fluorosilicones based on (trifluorovinyl)benzene were synthesized through condensation polymerization with initial decomposition temperatures of approximately 240 °C. These were compared to similar aromatic polyethers and removal of the ether oxygen lowered the initial decomposition temperature by approximately 190 °C demonstrating the importance of this oxygen to the stability of polyethers. Second, reverse fluorosilicone (fluorinated backbone and pendant siloxane) terpolymers of chlorotrifluoroethylene (CTFE), vinyl acetate (VAc) and methacryloxypropyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMSMA) were synthesized in supercritical CO2 (scCO2) or by emulsion polymerization. Chain scission was prevented as initial decomposition occurred between 231 and 278 °C. In both the emulsion and scCO2 cases, VAc was essential in facilitating cross-propagation between CTFE and PDMSMA and the branching was similar suggesting polymerization media does not affect polymer structure. Emulsion-based polymers had higher molar masses and thermal stability whereas comparable scCO2 polymers had higher yields and incorporated more PDMSMA. Third, a series of homo-, co-, and terpolymers of CTFE, VAc and methacryloxypropyl-terminated silsesquioxane (POSSMA) were synthesized representing the first synthesis of POSSMA containing polymers in scCO2 and demonstrating reverse fluorosilicones can be synthesized without VAc. Chain scission was prevented as initial decomposition occurred from 244 to 296 °C with thermal stability increasing with CTFE content to a limit. Decomposition of the polymers was examined and mechanism elucidated. In air, the copolymers give 40 to 47 wt% char since the silsesquioxane oxidizes to SiO2 while in N2, no residue is seen. In contrast, the terpolymers give a carbonaceous residue of approximately 20 wt% in N2. The flammability and surface properties of the polymers were examined with the terpolymers having flammability similar to p(CTFE) and surface properties comparable to p(POSSMA) giving a low-flammability, hydrophobic polymer.

Ce travail de thèse porte sur la compréhension du rôle polyvalent des liquides ioniques (LIs) phosphonium comme agents de nanostructuration et interfaciaux pour la matrice polymère fluorée poly(fluorure de vinylidène-chlorotrifluoroéthylène) (P(VDF-CTFE)). Dans un premier temps, deux LIs phosphonium avec des fonctionnalités différentes générant un encombrement stérique et des fonctions dipolaire additionnelles sont tout d'abord incorporés dans la matrice P(VDF-CTFE) pour préparer des films de polymère additives. La structure de la phase cristalline, la morphologie issue de la dispersion et le comportement de cristallisation sont finement caractérisés dans le but de fournir une compréhension fuie et complète du rôle joué par le LI sur la nanostructuration. Dans un second temps, le rôle d’agent interfacial du LI est étudié avec un LI phosphonium fluoré comprenant un cation combinant trois phényles et une chaîne fluorée courte.Ce LI est utilise pour modifier la surface de l'oxyde de graphène (GO) et de l'oxyde de graphène réduit (rGO) afin de rendre ces nanocharges fonctionnelles et les incorporer dans la matrice P(VDF-CTFE). Ainsi, des films composites de P(VDF-CTFE)/graphène avec différentes teneurs en nanocharges sont préparés et une caractérisation fuie de la structure et des propriétés est entreprise afin de mieux comprendre les mécanisme d’interaction interfaciale et leurs influences sur les films composites, tels que la structure de la phase cristalline, le comportement de cristallisation, la relaxation des chaînes, la morphologie et les propriétés diélectriques finales. / This thesis work deals with an understanding of the versatile roles of phosphonium ionic liquids (ILs) as nanostructuration and interfacial agents for the fluorinated polymer matrix, i.e.,poly(vinylidene fluoride-chlorotrifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-CTFE)). In this context, two phosphonium ILs with different functionalities in steric hindrance and extra dipolar groups are firstly incorporated in P(VDF-CTFE) matrix to prepare polymer films. The crystalline phase structure, dispersion morphology and crystallization behavior are finely characterized with the goal of providing a full and deep understanding of the versatile and tunable nanostructuration effect of phosphonium ILs. Subsequently, in order to elucidate the mechanism of interfacial influence of IL, a fluorinated phosphonium IL with a cation structure combining three phenyls and a short fluorinated chain is added on the surface of graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO), making them as functional nanofillers to be incorporated into P(VDF-CTFE) matrix. Thus,P(VDF-CTFE)/graphene composite films with different filler contents are prepared in order to investigate the mechanism of interfacial interaction and its influence on the composite films, such as crystalline phase structure, crystallization behavior, chain segmental relaxation behavior, dispersion morphology and the final dielectric properties.