Properties, Benefits, and Uses of PTFE (PolyTetraFluoroEthylene)
Without a doubt, the fluoropolymer is a type of plastic with a wide range of qualities. The discovery of PTFE also changed the face of polymers and their utility in various applications. PTFE applications now span low-tech non-stick frying pan surfaces to high-tech exotic medical and hospital uses like implants, surgical tools, test equipment, and also used in firefighting equipment. Advanced Fluro is one of the top PTFE tube manufacturers in India. Contact them for any questions and products related to PTFE.
Keep reading to discover why PTFE is such a versatile polymer with many benefits and uses in several applications.
What is PTFE? And What Are Its Properties?
Polytetrafluoroethylene, or PTFE, is an ivory-white, opaque plastic fluoropolymer created by the free-radical polymerization of multiple tetrafluoroethylene molecules. It has so many applications in industries such as aerospace, food and beverage, medicines, and telecommunications.
Teflon is a brand of PTFE that delivers exceptional non-stick characteristics in cookware, such as kitchen pans and baking trays. PTFE is manufactured in rods or tubes of any size and can be filled with glass, carbon, stainless steel, or a variety of other materials to boost wear resistance and strength. Whatever your application, you can be confident that this material will meet your needs.
Properties of PTFE:
While a plastic molecule has a carbon chain with hydrogen atoms attached, the hydrogen atoms are replaced with fluorine atoms in a Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) structure. This drastically alters the material’s properties, and PTFE, like other fluoroplastics, have unique characteristics like:
- Availability of food, medical and high-purity grades
- Exception chemical resistance
- Flexibility
- Good electrical insulating power in hot and wet environments
- High resistance to heat and low temperature
- Low coefficient of friction
- Low dielectric constant/dissipation factor
- Less water absorption
- Resistance to light, UV, and weathering
- Strong anti-adhesion properties
Benefits of PTFE
PTFE has high flexural strength and is chemically inert due to its many carbon-fluorine bonds, commonly recognized as the most powerful single bond in organic chemistry. It also has the lowest coefficient of friction of any solid, is exceedingly weatherable and non-adhesive, is water-resistant, and has the best electrical insulation and dielectric strength of any solid.
In addition, PTFE has a wide operating temperature range of -30°C to +200°C and a hardness range from 70 to 85 IRHD. It is widely used in high-temperature and critical fire applications.
Uses of PTFE
PTFE has remarkable properties that allow it to survive even the most challenging circumstances, making it suitable for various applications. This fluoroplastic is ideal for usage in the food and beverage industries, from cooking equipment to food covers, conveyor belt rollers, temperature sensor casing, and non-stick surface covers.
In the chemical industry, PTFE can be used to make gaskets, vessel linings, and chemical tanks, among other things. High-temperature applications, such as terminal insulation on heating components like jet engines, UV lamps, and external aircraft fittings, all require PTFE.
The use of PTFE material is beneficial in medical applications such as the construction of internal and external life-saving devices such as catheters, bio-containment vessels, syringes, and sutures. Electrical insulation and electronic component protection are also possible with this one-of-a-kind fluoropolymer.
Contact Advanced Fluro for PTFE Products
Advanced Fluro has been a market leader in selling PTFE products in India. We work with you to formulate high-performance PTFE material designed to meet your application’s precise requirements. The technical team at AF Tubes can answer any further questions you may have about our PTFE product range. Therefore, PTFE manufacturers consider diverse applications when manufacturing products. If you are looking for reliable PTFE tubing, get in touch with us today.
