Fluoropolymer fibre

The present invention pertains to a process for manufacturing one or more fluoropolymer fibres, said process comprising the following steps: (i) providing a liquid composition [composition (c1)] comprising: - at least one fluoropolymer comprising at least one hydroxyl end group [polymer (foh)l and - a liquid medium comprising at least one organic solvent [solvent (s)]; (ii) contacting the composition (c1) provided in step (i) with at least one metal compound [compound (m)] of formula (i) here below: x4-maym (i) wherein x is a hydrocarbon group, optionally comprising one or more functional groups, m is an integer from 1 to 4, a is a metal selected from the group consisting of si, ti and zr, and y is a hydrolysable group selected from the group consisting of an alkoxy group, an acyloxy group and a hydroxyl group, thereby providing a liquid composition [composition (c2)]; (iii) submitting to at least partial hydrolysis and/or polycondensation the composition (c2) provided in step (ii) thereby providing a liquid composition [composition (c3)] comprising at least one fluoropolymer hybrid organic/inorganic composite; (iv) processing the composition (c3) provided in step (iii) by electrospinning thereby providing one or more fluoropolymer fibres; (v) drying the fluoropolymer fibre(s) provided in step (iv); and (vi) optionally, submitting to compression the fluoropolymer fibre(s) provided in step (v) at a temperature comprised between 50°c and 300°c. the invention also pertains to a process for the manufacture of said fluoropolymer fibre(s) and to uses of said fluoropolymer fibre(s) in various applications.