Surface active fluorosilicone polymers

The introduction of low‐intermolecular‐force, aliphatic fluorocarbon groups into siloxane polymers has produced a variety of useful, low surface tension materials including Rf(CH2)2SiO3/2 self‐assembled polymer monolayers and silsesquioxane polymers, and [Rf(CH2)2MeSiO]n siloxanes. The surface tensions of such materials measured by the contact angle approaches of Owens‐Wendt and Girifalco‐Good‐Fowkes‐Young are reviewed and compared with the direct determination from work of adhesion studies based on the Johnson, Kendall and Roberts theory. The lowest surface tension fluorosilicones available are as oleophobic and hydrophobic as any known fluoropolymer. The most efficient, effective incorporation of fluorine in these fluorosilicones is generally achieved with the CF3(CF2)3(CH2)2 group, making these nonafluorohexyl‐containing species the most commercially attractive.