Fluorochloro ionomers

222This invention discloses novel fluorochloro ionomers and processes of making them. The first preferred body of invention is perfluorochloro ionomers having (1) equivalent weight between 600 and 1500, preferably between 800 and 1200, and most preferably between 900 and 1100; (2) chlorine content between 8% and 30% by weight. These ionomers are breathable and excellent barrier materials, capable of being processed into thin films or membranes and are well suited for low humidity or high temperature fuel cell applications and for chemical protective covering materials. The second preferred body of invention is partially fluorochloro ionomers having (1) moisture vapor permeability rate>3000 gram HO/m/day (about ½ mil thick film); (2) chlorine content of between 10% and 39% by weight. These ionomers are breathable and excellent barrier materials that can also be processed into thin films or membranes and are suited for some fuel cell applications and more preferably for breathable protective covering applications. The membranes can be monolithic films or multi-layers films, or composite films, or bipolar membranes. These novel fluorochloro ionomers are made by radical copolymerization of at least one fluorochloro monomer and at least one comonomer consisting of at least ionic group or at least one precursor that can be converted to ionic groups such as acid groups or amines or quaternary amine groups. The said fluorochloro monomer containing at least one fluorine and at least one chlorine atom is free radical polymerizable including chlorotrifluoroethylene (CFCl═CF) and dichlorodifluoroethylene (CFCl═CFCl).