Teflon® is a registered trademark of DuPont and a popular way to refer to polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), a synthetic, non-toxic, fluorocarbon-based polymer used in an extensive range of products. Teflon® boasts an extremely low coefficient of friction, excellent electrical properties, high chemical resistance, and superbly reliable stability in a wide range of temperatures.
Virgin PTFE (made from pure Teflon® resin with no recycled material) is FDA approved for use in the food and beverage industry, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. Mechanical PTFE includes reprocessed Teflon® resin. While this grade of PTFE has slightly lower physical properties than virgin PTFE, it still enjoys a remarkably low coefficient of friction and can operate in extreme temperatures. This makes it an excellent material for high-performance parts and non-critical chemical, mechanical, and electrical components.
How Is Teflon® Used?
Teflon® is likely one of the best-known products of the modern age. It’s used in various products, including cookware, clothing, personal care products, and manufacturing. Its most versatile feature is that it can be applied to almost anything without compromising the integrity or shape of the coated item. When most people think of Teflon®, they think of non-stick cookware. However, it’s important to know that Teflon®™ and Teflon® coating has many other uses.
Here are some industries Teflon® makes a significant impact on:
Electronics
Because of its high resistance to heat, water, chemicals, and general wear and tear, it’s a common material used in making electrical components, gauges, and light fittings. Teflon®’s dielectric properties make it useful for making printed circuit boards and cables. Its low friction provides the smooth glide required for products such as electronic writing and drawing tablets, touchpad, styluses, and mouse tracking balls.
Semiconductors
In the production of semiconductors, Teflon® enhances the manufacturing process with its chemical resistance by ensuring corrosive chemicals do not contaminate ultra-clean environments during chip fabrication. Teflon®, whether as a resin, coating, or film, appears in various products involved in creating semiconductor materials.
Automotive
Teflon® is widely used in the automobile industry because of its durability and resistance to heat and chemicals. It improves the quality and provides protection and structural integrity for many vehicle parts, including axels, ball bearings, chassis, exhaust systems, fasteners, gaskets, pistons, seatbelt clips, windshield wipers, underbodies, exposed parts on motorcycles and dirt bikes, and car exteriors.
Medical Equipment
Teflon® can provide a medical-grade coating on devices and tools that reduce friction and incorporate antimicrobials to meet sterility requirements. This is particularly useful for analytical and surgical instrumentation, autoclave and sterilization equipment, and packaging for pharmaceutical products.
Teflon® is also used in creating pressure-sensitive adhesive backing used in products related to foot care, such as footwear, insoles, ankle and foot braces, and other products used to relieve friction-induced blisters, calluses, and foot ulceration.
In dentistry, Teflon® is used to coat dental fillings to keep them from accidentally adhering to adjacent teeth, and it’s used in the manufacturing of some types of dental floss.
Construction
Whether for bridges, pipelines, or buildings, Teflon® plays a significant role in promoting exceptional reliability and durability when dealing with heavy loads, shocks, and extreme weather. Teflon®-coated screws repel water and oil and are resistant to corrosion. With Teflon®’s reduced friction, screws also drive more easily into multiple surfaces with less wear and tear on both the screw and the surface.
To help minimize stress on steelwork construction, Teflon® coatings improve the function of expansion joints, slide bearings, gaskets, and bridge bearings. It can also be used as pipe insulation to prevent thermal bridging. Teflon® can even be coated onto building glass which gives it a significantly longer life and makes it easier to clean.
Other Uses for Teflon®
With the multitude of positive characteristics Teflon® offers, there are countless applications for Teflon® and Teflon® coating. Here are a few more notable uses:
- An oxidizer for powdered aluminum or magnesium in pyrotechnics.
- Toys and games.
- Kitchen appliances
- Sports equipment, including skis and ski bindings.
- Textiles—particularly those that require water resistance and breathability.
- Food and other product conveyance systems.
- Plumbing seals.
- Paint and metal finishing.
- Solar panels.
- Jewelry and artificial jewelry production.
- Aerosol lubricants or any lubricant used where wet oil lubricants are not practical.
- Nail polish
- Hair straighteners and curling irons.
- Carpet stain protection
Pretty much any situation that requires non-abrasive contact is a perfect one for the application of Teflon®.
Purchasing PTFE/Teflon® at Piedmont Plastics
Piedmont Plastics offers a wide variety of PTFE materials, including Teflon®. In addition, Piedmont offers virgin and filled mechanical PTFE sheets, rods, and tubes in various sizes and thicknesses.
Contact us, and we’ll put you in touch with our experts, who can help you find the best materials for your project from our nationwide network of over 40 branch locations.