Data for Polytetrafluoroethylene
| Density | 2.2 | g/cc |
| UTS | 2.1 (1.0 Compressive) | kpsi |
| Hardness | 60D | Shore Durometer |
| Heat-Deflection | 65 (Usable at 260) | C |
| Melting | 327 | C |
| Price point | $11.97 Per Foot | 3/4" rod, SmallParts ZRT-12-24 |
| Recycle | - |
History/Interest
Discovered in 1938 when Dr. Roy Plunkett was trying to develop a new CFC refrigerant and accidentally polymerized tetrafluoroethylene to make PTFE (Teflon).
Commercially available in 1946, by 1950 DuPont was producing 1 million lbs per year.
Properties
Generally low friction (fluorine has have high electronegativity), high resistance to solvents, acids, bases,
Tough, durable
Coeff of friction w/ steel ~0.1 (second lowest after diamond-like carbon - insects can’t climb PTFE walls!)
Extemely low dielectric constant (great insulator)
UV/Ozone resistant
Chemically inert
Non-elastic
Will creep
Uses
Non-stick coatings,
Bearings, bushings
Thread-sealing tape
Coating on armor-piercing ammunition (to reduce wear on firearm’s rifling)
Gore-Tex is a PTFE membrane with micropores