The fluorine atom, by virtue of its electronegativity, size, and bond strength with carbon, can be used to create compounds with remarkable properties. Small molecules containing fluorine have many positive impacts on everyday life of which blood substitutes, pharmaceuticals, and surface modifiers are only a few examples. Fluoropolymers, too, while traditionally associated with extreme high performance applications have found their way into our homes, our clothing, and even our language. A recent American president was often likened to the tribology of PTFE. Since the serendipitous discovery of Teflon at the DuPont Jackson Laboratory in 1938, fluoropolymers have grown steadily in technological and marketplace importance. New synthetic fluorine chemistry, new processes, and new apprecia tion of the mechanisms by which fluorine imparts exceptional properties all contribute to accelerating growth in fluoropolymers. There are many stories of harrowing close calls in the fluorine chemistrylab, especially from the early years, and synthetic challenges at times remain daunting. But, fortunately, modem techniques and facilities have enabled significant strides toward taming both the hazards and synthetic uncertainties, In contrast to past environmental problems associated with fluorocarbon refrigerants, the exceptional properties of fluorine in polymers have great environmental value. Some fluoropolymers are enabling green technologies such as hydrogen fuel cells for automobiles and oxygen selective membranes for cleaner diesel combustion.

Inhalt
Processing, Structure, and Properties.- A Perspective on Solid State Microstructure in Polytetrafluoroethylene.- Teflon® AF: A Family of Amorphous Fluoropolymers with Extraordinary Properties.- Supercritical Fluids for Coatingsfrom Analysis to Xenon.- Material Properties of Fluoropolymers and Perfluoroalkyl-based Polymers.- Excimer Laser-induced Ablation of Doped Poly(Tetrafluoroethylene).- Novel Solvent and Dispersant Systems for Fluoropolymers and Silicones.- Fluoropolymer Alloys.- Solubility of Poly(Tetrafluoroethylene) and its Copolymers.- Structure-property Relationships of Coatings Based on Perfluoropolyether Macromers.- Modeling and Simulation.- Molecular Modeling of Fluoropolymers: Polytetrafluoroethylene.- Material Behavior of Poly(Vinylidene Fluoride) Deduced from Molecular Modeling.- Application of Chemical Graph Theory for the Estimation of the Dielectric Constant of Polyimides.- Fluorine-containing Polyimides.- Fluorine-containing Polyimides.- Synthesis and Properties ofPerfluorinated Polyimides.- Synthesis and Properties of Partially Fluorinated Polyimides for Optical Applications.- Novel Organo-soluble Fluorinated Polyimides for Optical, Microelectronic, and Fiber Applications.- Application of 19F-NMR Toward Chemistry of Imide Materials in Solution.