Highly Alternating Copolymer of [1.1.1]Propellane and Perfluoro Vinyl Ether: Forming a Hydrophobic and Oleophobic Surface with <50% Fluorine Monomer Content

Utilizing the unique properties of fluorine substitution is an effective strategy for constructing highly functional materials. Here, we synthesized a novel copolymer composed of [1.1.1]propellane and perfluoro(propyl vinyl ether) (PPVE), rich in alternating sequences. The spin-coated copolymer film was amorphous, and its surface exhibited an extremely low surface free energy (γ). The γ value was lower than that of polytetrafluoroethylene despite containing only 40 mol % PPVE units. This can be attributed to the cancellation of the C-F dipole moments by the entirely random orientation of the fluorine units.