ptfe materials

PTFE is one of the most remarkable of all man-made polymers. It has many extraordinary properties that make it useful in a wide range of applications: it is chemically inert, non-stick, heat resistant, and electrically insulating. It is also exceptionally easy to clean, UV-resistant, and has high strength.

These properties, along with its low coefficient of friction, make PTFE an ideal material for sealing and coating. It is used in hoses, expansion joints, and industrial pipe lines where it is necessary to withstand aggressive environments and chemical reactions. It is also found in bearings, bushing, gears, seals, and gaskets. It is also an ingredient in bicycle lubricants and greases. Medically, PTFE grafts are used to bypass stenotic arteries if autologous artery grafts cannot be obtained.

It is also used in a variety of consumer products such as cookware, and is incorporated into fabrics to create a waterproof membrane known as Gore-TEX (a registered trademark of the W. L. Gore company). It is also used as a coating for flexible architectural materials, such as the roof of the Metrodome in Minneapolis. Its ability to diffuse a light nearly perfectly makes it an excellent choice for optical radiometry, including in illuminance meters and UV radiometers.

PTFE is available in granular, fine powder and water-based dispersion forms. When these materials are combined with fillers and additives their chemical properties can be modified. For example, Glass increases compressive strength, carbon reduces permeability and is self-lubricating, Bronze improves resistance to wear and creep, and Stainless Steel enhances thermal and electrical conductivity.