PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) is an extremely versatile material used for a wide variety of applications.
In the home, PTFE is better-known as the brand Teflon which offers fantastic non-stick properties, making it an ideal coating solution for pans, baking trays and other kitchen equipment.
But the use of PTFE reaches far beyond domestic kitchen equipment coatings. PTFE coatings have numerous industrial applications, ranging from the obvious food and drink industry applications where reliable, cost-effective solutions are hugely important - to hostile environments for the oil and gas industry where critical applications rely on PTFE coatings to function.
In addition to being the basis for industrial-strength coatings, PTFE solids and compounded solids can also be machined with precision to create components for a wide range of applications - in most cases, PTFE components are far superior to metal components due to the material's lighter weight and range of properties.
In fact, PTFE coatings and components are widely used across many industries making it one of the most commonly used engineering plastics in the world.
THE POWERFUL PROPERTIES OF PTFE
The History of PTFE
PTFE was discovered in 1938 by DuPont chemist, Dr Roy Plunkett at the Chemours Jackson Laboratory in New Jersey.
In his attempt to develop a CFC refrigerant, Plunkett accidentally polymerised a sample of tetrafluoroethylene he left overnight, leaving a white, slippery waxy solid. This resulted in Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).
In 1945, Chemours patented PTFE and registered the Teflon™ trademark; the first products were sold in 1946. Chemours now offers the following fluoropolymers; PTFE, FEP, ETFE and PFA. Teflon™ has become a familiar name with many and is recognised internationally for its remarkable non-stick properties, particularly in cookware.
Let us help introduce you to PTFE
AFT Fluorotec has been working with PTFE and other fluoropolymer materials for a long time. In fact, our founder, Bruce McAllister, first introduced PTFE to the UK in 1962 when he established the UK's first PTFE processing company.
In 1986 he set up AFT Fluorotec and since then we've worked with clients across the world to help them understand the potential of this fantastic material.
We've created our own grades of PTFE, each of which has its own unique range of properties suited to different applications.
We've worked with clients to create PTFE coatings, materials and components for even the most demanding environments (even when our competitors failed to find a solution). We've designed and machined one-off PTFE components for prototypes and high-performance applications, and manufactured millions of precision components for OEMs.
Unlike our competitors, we can offer over 500 different grades of PTFE from stock and you can rely on our experience to recommend precisely the right material for the job.
Get in touch with our team to discuss your project and how PTFE can help.
