PROCESS TO REDUCE THE CONCENTRATION OF FLUOROORGANIC ACIDIC COMPOUNDS IN AQUEOUS DISPERSIONS

The present disclosure provides a process for removing fluoroorganic acidic compounds from a dispersion of fluoroorganic polymer particles in at least one protic solvent, the process comprising the following steps:(i) forming a mixture ofa. a dispersion having a pH-value of less than 6 and comprising fluoroorganic polymer particles, at least one protic solvent and at least one fluoroorganic compound withb. an extraction composition comprising at least one alkylamine;(ii) reacting the fluoroorganic acidic compound with the alkylamine to form a hydrophobic ionic compound comprising the anion of the fluoroorganic acidic compound and the cation of the alkyl amine;(iii) separating the mixture into a first phase comprising the at least one protic solvent, the fluoroorganic polymer particles and no greater than 50% by weight of the total amount of the at least one fluoroorganic compound initially present in the dispersion in step (i); and a second phase comprising the hydrophobic ionic compound; and(iv) removing the first phase from the second phase.