Fullerenes Decorated with Poly(vinylidene fluoride)
(2597–2603) Macromolecules 44 #8 (2011)
Vukieviand Beuermann of the University of Potsdam,, Germany, synthesized fullerenes decorated with poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) in a three-step procedure:  Iodine transfer polymerization of vinylidene fluoride with C6F12I2 as the chain transfer agent was carried out in supercritical carbon dioxide to synthesize iodine-terminated PVDF, which was subsequently transformed to azide-terminated polymer.  Finally, azide-terminated PVDF chains were attached to a fullerene core under microwave irradiation at 160 °C in 1.5 h.  On average, 4−5 PVDF chains are attached to one C60 moiety. FT-IR spectra and DSC measurements indicate that the polymer end groups strongly affect the crystallinity of the material. For PVDF with azide end groups and PVDF attached to fullerenes the fraction of the β polymorph is dominant while α polymorphs are almost absent.  (RDC 5/27/2011)

A novel approach to modify poly(vinylidene fluoride) via iron-mediated atom transfer radical polymerization using activators generated by electron transfer
(2315–2324)Journal of Polymer Science Part A: Polymer  Chemistry 49 #11 (2011)
Zhao et al of Soochow University, China, used iron-mediated atom transfer radical polymerization with activators generated by electron transfer directly from the secondary fluorine atoms on the poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) backbone, using methyl methacrylate (MMA) and poly (ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PEGMA) as the monomers, FeCl3·6H2O as the catalyst, PPh3 as the ligand, and vitamin C as the reducing agent in the presence of limited amounts of air.  The graft copolymers PVDF-g-PPEGMA can be readily cast into porous hydrophilic microfiltration membranes by phase inversion in an aqueous medium.  (RDC 4/222/2011).

Multifunctional Porous Poly(vinylidene fluoride)-graft-Poly(butyl methacrylate) with Good Li+ Ion Conductivity
(134–149)Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics 212 #2 (2011)
Sanjoy et al of the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, India grafted PnBMA on PVDF using ATRP in NMP solution at 90 °C . Cast PB films show a honeycomb-patterned porous microstructure, and the “breath-figure” model is used to explain pore formation.  The porous materials can be applied as solid-state electrolytes (Li+-doped) with good ionic conductivity (10−5 S · cm−1).  (RDC 1/13/2011)