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CONCLUSIONS

The given analysis of the well-known methods of TFEO production has shown that each of them possesses a number of substantial disadvantages preventing their application for technological process establishment. Thus, the photochemical methods of TFE oxidation require a powerful source of irradiation resulting in significant energy consumption at low productivity of reactors. The catalytic heterogenous processes are distinguished by rapid catalyst deactivation.The radiochemical synthesis methods are characterized by high doses of irradiation and equipment complexity. The oxidation of TFE on polytetrafluoroethylene powder requires frequent repeated irradiation of the Fluoroplast resulting in its mechanical destruction. The thermal TFE oxidation under pressure and also its oxidation in the presence of oxygen difluoride are connected with significant explosive danger. The majority of the well-known methods do not possess sufficient selectivity: along with TFEO a big quantity of liquid and gas by-products are produced, also there are low factors of TFE conversion and TFEO yield.

Namely these factors and total explosive danger of TFEO producing determine the absence of tetrafluoroethylene industrial production up to the present time.

The particular choice of the method for scientific research and for production of small samples of TFEO is determined by specific capabilities of Research Centres and their traditions. According to our reckoning the most interest to establish a pilot production or pilot installations is in TFE oxidation by molecular oxygen in the presence of chemical initiators ( chlorine, bromine, ozone, trifluoromethylhypofluorite, peroxidisulfuryldifluoride). This method is enough simple in equipment design, able to provide high productivity in a flow-type reactor at moderate temperatures.

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