Atom Transfer Radical Addition/Polymerization of Perfluorosulfonic Acid Polymer with the C-F Bonds as Reactive Sites

This work reports the first demonstration of the chemical reactions on the C-F groups of perfluorosulfonic acid polymers. The Nafion chains show chemical reactivity for atom transfer radical addition onto multiwalled carbon nanotubes and ability to serve as a macroinitiator for atom transfer radical polymerization. The C-F groups and mainchain -CF₂ groups have been demonstrated, under a study with ¹⁹F NMR, as the active sites responsible for the reactions. The results could certainly extend both the scopes of chemistry and application of perfluorosulfonic acid polymers as well as the windows of atom transfer radical addition/polymerization to fluorinated compounds.