The Many Uses of Teflon™, a.k.a., PTFE Industrial Coating

Most people have never heard of PTFE industrial coating, but when you mention Teflon™, a look of understanding passes easily on their faces. PTFE (Polytetrafluoro Ethylene) is the technical name of the material, and it’s commonly sold under the Teflon™ brand name. Dr. Roy Plunkett, a researcher, is credited with developing PTFE industrial coating in the late 1930s.

At the time of his discovery, he was actually trying to create a new refrigerant. During the course of development, he noticed that the gas inside the bottle he was using actually stopped flowing out before the bottle should have been empty. He sawed the bottle open and discovered that the inside was coated with the non-stick material we now know as Teflon™. His contribution has changed the face of plastic manufacturing forever.

Teflon™ is probably best-known for its role as the non-stick surface inside cookware. This is because PTFE industrial coating is one of the most slippery materials that’s in existence today. In addition to being slippery, the material also brings a number of other features to the table, offering high temperature resistance, little reaction to most chemicals, and reduced stress cracking and corrosion. These features make Teflon™ perfect for numerous applications, including:

• Cookware – As already mentioned, the slippery surface created by Teflon™ makes it perfect for cookware. Many brands offer lines of cookware that are coated with PTFE in order to prevent food from sticking to the pots and pans. This reduces the need for cooking oil because these pots and pans are naturally non-stick.
• Nail polish – That smooth surface that doesn’t crack is often achieved through the use of PTFE industrial coating.
• Hair styling tools – Hair straighteners and curling irons are often coated with Teflon™ because of the high temperatures emitted by these tools.
• Windshield wiper blades – There are numerous applications for PTFE industrial coating within the automotive industry as well. The blades of windshield wipers are the most notable because the smooth surface enables them to glide smoothly across the windshield.
• Fabric and carpet protection – Stains are less likely to stick to carpets or fabrics that have been treated with PTFE industrial.
• Chemical and steel industries – Hoses and other machine parts commonly handle some highly corrosive substances that sometimes are transferred at extremely high temperatures. PTFE industrial coating is one of the best materials to handle this type of use because it addresses all of the problems that are otherwise caused by working with chemicals or steel. Every type of hose will deteriorate over time, but those that are made of PTFE industrial coating will do so much more slowly than those made of other materials because of the many features of the material.

Where would the world be without PTFE industrial coating? There is a good chance we wouldn’t be able to do much of what we are able to do right now if this material had never been invented. Almost everything we do on a daily basis brings us into contact with Teflon™, so we should all be thanking the memory of Dr. Plunkett and his marvelous discovery. When he first developed this material, he probably had no idea that it would become a household name that is critical in everyday life.

The experts at Toefco will help you figure out if Teflon™ is the right solution for your project. They understand the intricacies that go into selecting the right materials for projects that may have touchy consequences because of the difficult variables you are dealing with. Only an expert will be able to tell you if the combination of features offered by Teflon™ will create the right circumstances for what you are working on.

To learn more about PTFE industrial coating, call us at 888-912-5921 or ask an industrial coating engineer.