Polytetrafluoroethylene

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is a fluoropolymer made by polymerizing tetrafluoroethylene. Its strong carbon–fluorine bonds give it chemical resistance, while its molecular structure produces low friction and nonstick behavior.

Tetrafluoroethylene: A fluorinated alkene with the formula C₂F₄ that polymerizes to form polytetrafluoroethylene. Its double bond opens during polymerization to form PTFE’s repeating carbon backbone.
Friction: The resistance to motion between surfaces in contact. PTFE’s unusually low friction makes it useful for sliding surfaces and bearings.
Non-stick cookware: Cookware coated with a low-adhesion material to reduce food sticking and ease cleaning. PTFE coatings provide the familiar nonstick surface on many pans.
Perfluoroalkoxy alkane: A melt-processable fluoropolymer with properties similar to PTFE and a perfluoroalkoxy side group. PFA retains strong chemical resistance but can be melt-processed more readily than PTFE.
Roy Plunkett: The chemist who discovered polytetrafluoroethylene in 1938 while working at DuPont. Plunkett’s accidental discovery began PTFE’s development as an industrial material.
Fluoropolymer: A polymer whose repeating units contain fluorine atoms bonded to carbon. PTFE belongs to this polymer family, whose carbon–fluorine bonds resist chemical attack.
Surface energy: The excess energy at a material’s surface compared with its interior. PTFE’s low surface energy makes liquids and many solids adhere poorly to it.
Gasket: A seal placed between surfaces to prevent leakage of fluids or gases. PTFE gaskets tolerate corrosive chemicals and can seal across a broad temperature range.
Fluorinated ethylene propylene: A melt-processable copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene. FEP offers PTFE-like nonstick and chemical-resistant behavior with easier melt processing.
Kinetic Chemicals: A joint venture formed by DuPont and General Motors to produce fluorochemical products. The company developed PTFE for wartime applications before its wider commercial adoption.

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