PTFE

POLYTETRAFLUOROETHYLENE

Tomburn's clients for PTFE operate in many differing theatres with the Medical Industry being the most common. 

The non-stick properties of PTFE enable coated product to out-perform any other coating where high friction levels have a detrimental effect on the products performance.

WHAT IS PTFE?

PTFE is a fluorocarbon-based polymer and is better known by the trade name Teflon. It is used to make non-stick cooking pans, and anything else that needs to be slippery or non-stick. It is also very useful in medical applications and because human bodies rarely reject it, it can be used for making artificial body parts.

PTFE's mechanical properties can be enhanced by adding fillers such as glass fibers, carbon, graphite, molybdenum disulphide, and bronze. Generally, filled PTFE's maintain their excellent chemical and high temperature characteristics, while fillers improve mechanical strength, stability, and wear resistance.

PTFE APPLICATIONS 

Electrical, mechanical, pharmaceutical, automotive, semiconductor and chemical industries are all served by PTFE.

PTFE is very unreactive, and so is often used in containers and pipework for reactive chemicals.

It is also an excellent electrical insulator. This is especially true for radio frequencies, making it eminently suitable for use as an insulator in cables and connector assemblies.

Due to its low friction, it is used for applications where sliding action of parts is needed: bearings, bushings, gears and slide plates. The use of PTFE on seals, gaskets and components for valves, pumps and manufacturing equipment not

only results in improved properties, but helps extend service life, increase plant reliability and ultimately raise profitbaility by reducing downtime.

MARKET DEMAND

In particular, the medical industry has grown substantially in the last 10 years. A few particularly high volume items in this area have been catheter guide wires, core wires, ground wires, mandrels and hypo tubing that are processed both directly for medical companies, as well as indirectly through wire manufactures that supply this industry. For the medical industry, appearance is particularly important for items including seating, grab rails, trolleys and elevator bases

 
Demand for fluoropolymers in the US will grow 5.7 percent annually through to 2009 based on performance advantages over other plastics and rubber. Fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) will grow the fastest, driven by uses in semiconductors, wire and cable and construction material coatings.

PTFE APPLICATION

PRETREATMENT:

Tomburn offer one or more of the following pretreatment processes which is required before non-stick coatings are applied:-

Degreasing -     Either Vapour Degreasing or an on-line wash system

Gritblasting -     Increases the substrate surface area prior to coating, the degree of roughness can be

                         controlled to suit the coating system

Phosphating -    Chemical surface preparation - improves corrosion resistance of substrate

Priming -         Advised for optimum adhesion of coating

COATING:

Tomburn apply PTFE products by spray application. Powders, Dispersions or Solutions are sprayed onto the substrate surface and heat cured. This is applied either by conventional, electrostatic, manual or automatic depending on the application.

PTFE FEATURES

- Provides high chemical resistance

- Low and high temperature capability

- Resistance to weathering

- Electrical and thermal insulation

- Low coefficient of friction

-  It is resistant to practically every chemical known to - it is only attacked by elemental alkali metals, chlorine

  trifluoride and elemental fluorine at high temperature and pressures

- It will not degrade when exposed to long term sunlight

- Slippery non-stick surface

- Outstanding dielectric properties

PTFE SUPPLIERS

Supplier	Product
Acheson Colloids Ltd	Emralon®
Weilburger (UK) Ltd	Greblon®
Ausimont Ltd	Halar®
DuPont (UK) Ltd	Teflon®
Whitford Plastics Ltd	Xylan®
Fluorocarbon Company Ltd	Fluoralon®