PTFE (Teflon)

PTFE or Polytetrafluoroethylene is a versatile and high-performance fluoropolymer made up of fluorine and carbon atoms and is highly used as a non-stick coating in kitchen cookware. PTFE is a hydrophobic and most chemically inert polymer, making it unaffected by a lot of gases, vapors, and fluids. It offers excellent mechanical properties like thermal insulation and corrosion resistance. PTFE is suited well for temperatures between -400°F to 500°F.

COR offers white PTFE cord in lengths of 6 feet or coil form (see options below) in the following sizes:

CORD-.125-T (in coil form)  .125"
CORD-.188-T (6 foot lengths) .188"
CORD-.250-T (6 foot lengths) .250"
CORD-.313-T (6 foot lengths) .313"

*Note: Other sizes can be quoted upon request, subject to minimums.

Advantages of PTFE

PTFE offers many unique advantages. These include:

• Wide operating temperatures (-400° F to 500° F)
• Resistance to Corrosion (great replacement for rubbers which are affected by corrosion)
• Excellent Electrical Properties
• Unlimited Shelf Life
• High resistance to water, moisture & UV
• Low coefficient of friction
• High Flexural Strength
• Strong non-stick properties
• Good fatigue resistance under low stress
• Availability of food, medical and high-purity grades
• Low water absorption/hydrophobic

Disadvantages of PTFE

Some of the disadvantages of PTFE include:

• High Level of Hardness
• It can have a high leakage rate unless post-process to meet the requirements.
• It is an inelastic material
• Poor Resistance to high energy radiation

Customization

COR can obtain custom machined O-rings in PTFE in many sizes. Send us your requirements in a dwg., pdf or even on a napkin, with dimensions and we can try and quote according to your request. 

Applications of PTFE 

The unique properties of PTFE allow for versatility to be used in a huge number of applications across different industries ranging from basic home cookware to high-grade medical tools. Some of the applications include:

• Storage & Transportation of Chemicals: Having a highly chemically inert nature, PTFE containers are highly used to store various corrosive chemicals safely. PTFE liners and tubers are also used in machinery to allow the corrosive chemical to flow without damaging the machines.
• Increase Machinery & Parts Lifetime: PTFE coating can be used to increase the lifetime of machinery parts like bolts and bearings as it increases the resistance to corrosion of these parts. Also, PTFE, when used as a lubricant, reduces friction resulting in less wear and tear damages.
• Cookware: The non-adhesive and non-toxic nature of PTFE at high operating temperature makes it perfect to make non-stick cookware range.
• Textile: When the fabrics are coated/mixed with PTFE, it makes the fabrics water and oil repellent, thus make them more stain-resistant and reducing the need to use dry cleaning. Also, it reduces the wear, which makes fabrics last longer. Thus, it also helps the environments saving precious resources.
• Medical: PTFE coating is used widely in medical tools and equipment like catheters to prevent bacterial growth and infections.
• Construction: PTFE Coating is often applied to building walls to stop insects from climbing walls as its non-stick properties are super effective and prevent the insects from climbing walls.
• Electrical Components: PTFE's high insulation properties make it a good choice for insulating cables, wires, and circuit boards in computer, aircrafts, and communications devices.

Check out other materials we offer. For any questions or more information, contact COR Manufacturing.