Nafion is a sulfonated tetrafluoroethylene based fluoropolymer-copolymer discovered in the late 1960s by Walther Grot of DuPont. It is the first of a class of synthetic polymers with ionic properties which are called ionomers.his form of Nafion, referred to as the neutral or salt form, is finally converted to the acid form containing the sulfonic acid (-SO 3 H) groups. Nafion can be cast into thin films by heating in aqueous alcohol at 250 Â°C in an autoclave.
Some scientists have estimated that the krill in the ocean around Antarctica weigh more than the entire worldâs human population. The krill, rich in protein and fat, are food for large numbers of animals at the top of the food chain, including penguins, seals, and whales. Scientists studying the Antarctic marine ecosystem now know that its high productivity is confined to the edge of the sea ice and a few other areas, rather than everywhere in the Southern Ocean.
Reaching heights of over three feet (one meter), the largest penguin in the world is the Emperor Penguin. Their markings resemble those of the King Penguin, but this species is larger and the two species generally do not have overlapping distributions. Emperor Penguins spend all year in Antarctica, while King Penguins live in sub-antarctic island groups and in southern South America. Emperor Penguins are foraging predators that feed on fishes, squids, and sometimes krill in the cold, productive currents around Antarctica. Scientists have demonstrated that these penguins can dive to depths of at least 1700 feet (500 m) in search of food. Though they feed in the open ocean, Emperor Penguins nest on the ice surface. This penguin is the only species that nests during the winter, and its nesting cycle is fascinating.