Polytetrafluoroethylene
Accidentally discovered fluoropolymer used widely for non-stick and chemical resistance.
Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is a synthetic fluoropolymer of tetrafluoroethylene, known for its heat resistance, chemical inertness, and low friction. Plunkett at a DuPont plant in New Jersey. PTFE is used in non-stick cookware, as a lubricant, in medical implants, and in containers for reactive chemicals.
- discoverer
- Roy J. Plunkett
- type
- Synthetic fluoropolymer
- brand_name
- Teflon
- known_for
- Non-stick coating, low friction, chemical inertness
- coefficient_of_friction
- 0.05 to 0.10
Lore & Background
An early use was in the Manhattan Project, coating valves and seals in pipes holding uranium hexafluoride at the K-25 plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. In the United States, Marion A. PTFE has since become common in household cookware.
Reader's Guide
Polytetrafluoroethylene is significant for its unique combination of properties: extreme chemical inertness, heat resistance, low friction, and hydrophobicity. These qualities made it indispensable in industries from aerospace to cookware. Its use in the Manhattan Project demonstrated its value for handling corrosive materials, while its application as a non-stick coating revolutionized cooking. PTFE is also used in medical devices such as catheters and surgical grafts. However, PTFE and its production chemicals are part of the PFAS family, which are persistent organic pollutants. DuPont used perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in production for decades, later discontinuing it due to legal actions over health effects. Its spin-off Chemours now uses GenX, another PFAS, which may be equally harmful. PTFE's legacy includes both technological advancement and environmental concerns.
Did You Know?
- PTFE has one of the lowest coefficients of friction of any solid, measuring 0.05 to 0.10 against polished steel.
- PTFE is the only known surface to which a gecko cannot stick, due to its resistance to van der Waals forces.
- DuPont used perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in PTFE production for decades, later replacing it with GenX due to legal actions over health effects.
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