TEFLON

INTRODUCTON

➢ Teflon is the registered trade name of the highly useful plastic

material polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).
➢ Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), is high molecular weight
linear polymer consisting only Carbon and Flourine.
➢ It is produced by the gaseous monomer tetrafluoroethylene
(TFE) by the free radical polymerization reaction, which is
conducted as an emulsion in water.
 PROCESSING OF TEFLON (PTFE)
➢ HISTORY
o PTFE was first prepared by decomposition of tetraflouromethane by electric arc.
o Now, the most commonly used method is based on Pyrolysis of
Chlorodiflouromethane(CHCIF2)
➢ PREPARATION OF MONOMER (TFE)
▪ Raw Materials :
✓ Flourspar (mineral of Calcium Flouride, CaF2)
✓ Sulphuric acid
✓ Chloroform
▪ PROCESS :
 PROCESSING OF TEFLON (PTFE)
➢ POLYMERIZATION OF PTFE
▪ Free Radical Polymerization is the technique used to NOTE:
produce PTFE
o The reaction is carried out by passing TFE into water ➢ PURIFICATION OF TFE:
containing a radical initiator Pure monomer is
✓ ammonium persulfate, (NH4)2S2O8, at 310-350 K required for polymerization.
and a pressure of 10-20 atm. If impurities are present it
will affect the final product.
The resultant gas is first
scrubbed to remove any
hydrochloric acid and then
distilled to separate other
impurities, some by-
products are also formed.
PROCESSING OF TEFLON (PTFE)
 PROCESSING OF TEFLON (PTFE)
➢ POLYMERIZATION OF PTFE
▪ Suspension Polymerization (granular polymerization) gives a suspension of string-like
PTFE particles (with a high relative molecular mass from 5 to 500 million) up to 1 cm long in
water.
o Raw PTFE:
✓ The reaction chamber is filled with purified water, initiator and TFE (which is
piped into the chamber) and polymerization starts.
✓ The resulting PTFE forms solid grains that float to the surface of the water.
✓ Controls automatically shut off the supply of TFE after a certain weight inside
the chamber is reached.
✓ The water is drained out of the chamber, leaving a mess of stringy PTFE which
looks somewhat like grated coconut.
o Agglomeration of PTFE:
✓ Next, the PTFE is dried and fed into a mill.
✓ The resultant powder has poor flow and is difficult to cast.so, manufacturers
convert this fine powder into larger granules by a process called agglomeration.
 PROCESSING OF TEFLON (PTFE)
o Billet Making:
✓ The PTFE pellets can be molded into parts using a variety of techniques.
✓ To form the billet, PTFE pellets are poured into a cylindrical stainless steel
mold.
✓ The mold is loaded onto a hydraulic press.
✓ The ram drops down into the mold and exerts force on the PTFE
✓ After a certain time period, the mold is removed from the press and the PTFE is
unmolded. It is allowed to rest, then placed in an oven for a final step called
sintering.
o Sintering:
✓ The molded PTFE is heated in the sintering oven for several hours, until it
gradually reaches a temperature of around 680°F (360°C). This is above the
melting point of PTFE.
✓ The PTFE particles coalesce and the material becomes gel-like.
✓ Then the PTFE is gradually cooled. The finished billet can be shipped to
customers, who will slice or shave it into smaller pieces, for further processing.
✓ Fillers are often added prior to the production of sheets and rods.
 PROCESSING OF TEFLON (PTFE)
➢ POLYMERIZATION OF PTFE
▪ Dispersion Polymerization is the dispersion method which leads to either fine powder or a
paste-like substance, which is more useful for coatings and finishes.
o TFE is introduced into a water-filled reactor along with the initiating chemical. Instead of
being vigorously shaken, as in the suspension process, the reaction chamber is only
agitated gently.
o The PTFE forms into tiny beads. Some of the water is removed, by filtering or by adding
chemicals which cause the PTFE beads to settle.
o The result is a milky substance called PTFE dispersion.
o It can be used as a liquid, especially in applications like fabric finishes.
o The dispersion can also be coagulated and dried to give a fine powder, which, in turn, is
made into a paste and extruded on to wire. The wire is used extensively in cars and
aerospace when it is subjected to high temperatures.
 PROCESSING OF TEFLON (PTFE)
➢ OTHER METHODS
▪ EXPLOSIVE DECOMPOSITION OF TFE
o The process leading to the formation of
polytetrafluoroethylene is usually a liquid-phase
polymerization, performed in heated large reactors under
relative high pressures, with a free gas phase mainly NOTE:
composed of TFE above the liquid.
▪ EMULSION POLYMERIZATION All above reactions
o This type of Polymerization is carried out by emulsion method are highly exothermic
using peroxide initiators e.g. H2O2 (Hydrogen peroxide) and and must be control
ferrous sulphate. In some cases oxygen is used as initiator. to avoid violent
▪ EXTRUSION METHODS explosions.
o PTFE can be extruded by
✓ Ram extruders
✓ Screw extruders
But the process is very slow and requires the extruders with very
high aspect ratio.
 TYPES OF TEFLON
➢ PFA (perfluoralkoxy - copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and a perfluorinated vinyl ether)
▪ Properties/Applications:
✓ excellent chemical resistance
✓ high temperature resistance (up to +260°C)
✓ excellent non-stick properties
✓ FDA certificate, UV stable, weld-able
➢ FEP (fluorinated ethylene - propylene)
▪ Properties/Applications:
✓ excellent chemical resistance
✓ high temperature resistance (up to +205°C)
✓ excellent non-stick properties
✓ high resistance to puncture with electrical current
✓ very low coefficient of friction
 TYPES OF TEFLON
➢ ETFE (ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer)
▪ Properties/Applications:
✓ excellent chemical resistance
✓ high temperature resistance (up to +205°C)
✓ excellent non-stick properties
✓ allows a layer of thickness up to 7 mm
✓ most durable of all fluoroplastics

❖ The properties of these types of Teflon play an important role in the chemical, food and printing
industry etc. The choice of a proper type of fluoroplastics (Teflon) always depends on the specific
requirements by - the way of use, the working conditions etc.
 BY-PRODUCTS/WASTE
▪ Though PTFE itself is non-toxic, its manufacture produces toxic byproducts. These include
✓ hydrofluoric acid and
✓ carbon dioxide.
▪ Work areas must be adequately ventilated to prevent exposure to gases while PTFE is being
heated. Doctors have documented a particular illness called polymer fume fever suffered by
workers who have inhaled the gaseous byproducts of PTFE manufacturing.
▪ Some waste created during the manufacturing process can be reused.
▪ Used PTFE parts should be buried in landfills, not incinerated, because burning at high
temperatures will release hydrogen chloride and other toxic substances.
▪ One study released in 2001 claimed that PTFE also degrades in the environment into one
substance that is toxic to plants. This is trifluoroacetate, or TFA. While current levels of TFA in the
environment are low, the substance persists for a long time. So TFA pollution is possibly a
concern for the future.
 ADDITIVES
▪ Because of the high processing temperatures there are few pigments suitable for use with PTFE.
A number of inorganic pigments, particularly the
✓ Cadmium compounds
✓ Iron oxides
▪ The resistance of PTFE to Creep can be improved by adding 25% of Glass or Asbestos fibre
▪ Alumina, silica and lithium may be incorporated to give compounds of improved dimensional
stability coupled with good electrical insulation properties.
▪ Molybdenum di-sulphide and graphite improve dimensional stability without losing the low
coefficient of friction.
▪ The use of barium ferrite will produce a material that can be magnetized.
▪ The incorporation of titanium dioxide serves to increase the dielectric constant.
▪ Certain compounds of boron increase the resistance to neutron bombardment.
 STRUCTURE AND PROPERTIES
▪ PTFE is a linear polymer free from any significant amount of branching.
▪ The fluorine atoms are larger than those of hydrogen
o As a consequence the molecule takes up a twisted zigzag shape, with the fluorine atoms
packing tightly in a spiral around the carbon-carbon skeleton.
o This compact interlocking of the fluorine atoms leads to a molecule of,
✓ Great stiffness
✓ High crystalline melting point
✓ Thermal stability
▪ The carbon-fluorine bond is very stable.
▪ Further when two fluorine atoms are attached to a single carbon atom, there is reduction in the
C-F bond distance, as result
✓ bond strengths is very high
✓ PTFE has a very high heat stability (even when heated above its m.p of 327oC )
 STRUCTURE AND PROPERTIES
▪ Because of its high crystallinity and incapability of
specific interactions, there are no solvents at room
temperature.
▪ Its mechanical strength remains unchanged over
a wide range of temperatures (-100 to 300oC)
▪ Unlike other thermoplastics, such as PVC, PTFE
cannot be processed by melt extrusion. The
powder is therefore moulded into rods for
extrusion and heating at temperatures above 530
K to force the particles to stick together. About a
third of the PTFE is produced in this form.
▪ The extreme electronegativity of the Fluorine
atoms is what causes Teflon to be so chemically
resistant because the only interaction possible
between it and other molecules is repulsion. This makes Teflon cookware non-stick
 PROPERTIES
▪ Tough but have only moderate tensile strength (26MPa)
▪ Flexible, non-resilient
▪ Excellent resistance to heat, chemicals and to the passage of an electric current.
▪ It remains ductile in compression at temperatures as low as -296oC.
▪ Coefficient of friction is unusually low and stated to be lower than that of any other solid.
▪ Very high oxygen index (95%)
▪ Has good weathering resistance but is degraded by high-energy radiation.
▪ The polymer is not wetted by water and does not measurably absorb it.
▪ The permeability to gases is low.
▪ Water vapor transmission rate is approximately half that of low-density polyethylene (LDP)
▪ Show non-adhesive properties.
▪ They are self-extinguishing.
PROPERTIES
PROPERTIES
 RECYCLING OF PTFE
▪ It is easy to recycle since no chemical reaction is necessary.
▪ Only the extruded forms are recycled (not the resin and powdered forms)
▪ The uses of recycled PTEF are restricted.
▪ It is typically ground up into fine powders and used as additives in such products as inks, paints
and cosmetics.
 TOXICITY

▪ The monomer TFE is a confirmed animal carcinogen with unknown relevance to humans.
▪ The finished polymer in solid form is inert under ordinary conditions. There is some indication that
the powdered forms of PTFE may be carcinogenic if inhaled.
 ADVANTANGES and APPLICATIONS
➢ Various properties leading to certain advantages of PTFE are:
▪ Because of its chemical inertness over a wide temperature range it is used in
✓ Seals
✓ Gaskets
✓ Packings
✓ Valve and pump parts
✓ Laboratory equipments
▪ Its excellent electrical insulation properties lead to its use in
✓ Wire insulation
✓ Insulating transformers
✓ Hermetic seals for condensers
✓ Laminates for printed circuitry
▪ Because of low coefficients of friction or non-adhesive characteristics , they are used in
✓ coating of clothing used in medicine (gowns, sheets)
✓ non-stick domestic utensils, e.g. frying pans
ADVANTANGES and APPLICATIONS
 ADVANTANGES and APPLICATIONS
➢ Other
▪ cable insulation for electronics including aerospace
▪ reactor and plant equipment linings, when reactants or products are highly corrosive to
ordinary materials such as steel
▪ semi-permeable membranes in chloro-alkali cells and fuel cells
▪ bearings and components in mechanical devices such as small electrical motors and pumps
▪ permeable membrane (e.g. Gore-TexTM), for clothing and shoes, which allows water vapour
to diffuse away from the skin but prevents liquid water (rain) from soaking in
▪ medical - catheter tubing
▪ hose and tubing
▪ solid lubricants
▪ combinations with magnesium and aluminium as an igniter for explosives
▪ fibres for clothing
 DISADAVANTAGES/LIMITATIONS
➢ Disadvantages of the material are only relative to the application: in many ways, PTFE is a
wonder material but it can’t be used for everything. Depending on the application, the following
disadvantages can rule out the selection of PTFE:
▪ Price – it is not a low-cost polymer
▪ Production sizes – it is not easy to mass produce
▪ It cannot be cemented
▪ It can change shape under pressure
▪ It is non-weld able (cannot be melt processed)
▪ The polymer has a low dielectric constant
▪ Poor radiation resistance
 REFRENCES

▪ http://www.madehow.com/Volume-7/Teflon.html
▪ https://www.aidic.it/cet/13/31/137.pdf
▪ https://www.essentialchemicalindustry.org/polymers/polytetrafluoroethene.html
▪ Brydson J.A. ‘Plastics Material’ 7th edition.
▪ https://www.baltro.cz/en/properties-and-types-of-fluoroplastics-teflon/