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Better known by the brand name Teflon, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) provides a nonstick surface to cookware, nail polish, hairstyling tools, fabric/carpet treatment, and windshield wiper blades. However, manufacturers are seeing increased benefits from using PTFE as a way to manufacture quality O-rings. O-rings built using PTFE provide superior thermal and chemical insulation, and they can resist friction and water as well.
PTFE is a synthetic polymer derived from chemical bonding between carbon and fluorine, taking advantage of free radicals’ tendency to polymerize with tetrafluoroethylene. This material was accidentally discovered in 1938, when DuPont chemist Roy J. Plunkett attempted to create a new type of refrigerant, and mixed these materials together without knowing the reaction that it would cause.
Several properties distinguish PTFE from other substances, including:
-Low friction coefficient: PTFE has the third lowest friction coefficient of any substance known to man, meaning that it’s really
-Functions at temperature extremes: Rated at 600 K, PTFE melts at 327ºC or 620ºF, and it also functions well at temperatures as low as −268ºC or −450ºF.
-Resists water: Water beads up on the surface of PTFE, meaning that surfaces treated with this material resist oxidation.
-Nonreactive: PTFE doesn’t react with the vast majority of corrosive substances, making it ideal for use in pipes, valves, seals, and O-rings.
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