PTFE stands for PolyTetraFluoroEthelene.
TFE or PTFE , Polytetrafluoroethylene - - is one of the three fluorocarbon resins in the fluorocarbon class composed wholly of fluorine and carbon and is a thermoplastic member of the fluoropolymer family of plastics. PTFE has a low coefficient of friction, excellent insulating properties, and is chemically inert to most substances. It also can withstand high heat applications and it is well know for its anti-stick properties.
Virgin PTFE is almost universally inert as a result of the molecular structure of the resin. Components made of this material exhibit excellent impermeability to most corrosive liquids, vapors and gasses, even at elevated temperatures, under pressure or in a vacuum. Generally speaking, PTFE offers resistance to acids, basses, steam/hot water, hydraulic fluids, brake fluids, oils and lubricants, sour oil and gasses, amine corrosion inhibitors, oxidizing agents, bleaches, alcohol and various industrial solvents. It provides good resistance to radiation and excellent resistance to weathering and ozone.
PTFE resists attack by heat and virtually all chemicals. It is insoluble in all organics with the exception of a few exotics. Virgin PTFE has exceptional electrical and dielectric properties, but can be somewhat limited for mechanical applications. Although it has high impact strength, its resistance to wear, tensile strengths are low in comparison to other engineering type thermoplastics. Mechanical properties can be improved by adding fillers such as glass fibers, moly, carbon, graphite and bronze to name a few.
The thermal stability of PTFE is exceptional compared with most of the engineering plastics of today. It decomposes visibly only when the temperature exceeds 400ºF. Lower than 400ºF, its mechanical properties do not change. PTFE has a crystalline melting point of 624-644ºF (327-340ºC) and cannot be injection molded.
Due to high standards, Tetralene only uses PTFE from DuPont, trademarked as Teflon ® , AGC Chemical's Fluon ® resins and DyneonTM resins.
PTFE Product Brochure
Material Properties Sheets:
Alloy 10 Virgin PTFE (pdf)
