PTFE.
The high-temp, chemically inert plastic, gaskets, seals, bushings, slip strips, lab components.
The top of the engineering-plastic stack.
PTFE, polytetrafluoroethylene, brand name Teflon®, sits at the top end of engineering plastics. The widest service temperature range of any common plastic (-200°C to +260°C), virtually inert to every common chemical, and the lowest coefficient of friction of any solid material.
Highly crystalline fluoropolymer with extreme temperature resistance, near-universal chemical inertness and the lowest static and dynamic friction coefficients of any solid. Density ~2.2 g/cm³ (heavy for plastic, closer to fibreglass). Service temperature -200°C to +260°C continuous. Soft and creeps under sustained load, design for it.
Glass-filled, bronze-filled, carbon-filled and graphite-filled PTFE for higher load capacity and reduced creep. Filled grades trade some chemical inertness for mechanical strength, we'll spec by application.
The specs at a glance.
Common applications .
Gaskets, seals and bushings in chemical, pharmaceutical, food and laboratory applications. Anti-stick liners, mould releases and food-contact slip surfaces. Anywhere temperature, chemistry or low friction is the binding constraint.
Filled PTFE grades for higher mechanical load, bronze-filled for compressor seals, glass-filled for valve seats, carbon-filled for high-wear sliding components.
- Chemical and high-temp gaskets
- Pump and valve seals
- Bushings and slip strips
- Anti-stick liners and food slip surfaces
- Cryogenic seals and components
- Laboratory components
- Compressor and pump seal rings (filled)
- Heat-shrink tubing (in tube form)
From sheet to finished part .
CNC machining with sharp tooling and light cuts. Skiving for thin gasket and tape stock. PTFE does not bond, weld or solvent-join, design for mechanical fastening or sintered assembly.
Coefficient of thermal expansion is high, so allow for it in tight-tolerance assemblies. Stocked sheet 1 to 50 mm, rod 5 to 200 mm in natural and filled grades.
Common questions about PTFE.
PTFE has a continuous service temperature range of -200°C to +260°C, the widest of any common plastic. It's the right choice when temperature is the binding constraint, particularly in chemical, pharmaceutical and laboratory applications.
Almost nothing, that's the point. PTFE is famously low-friction and anti-stick, used for slip strips, mould releases, food-contact slip surfaces and anti-stick liners. It also can't be welded, solvent-bonded or glued, design for mechanical fastening or sintered assembly.
Yes, Teflon® is the DuPont brand name for PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene). The generic material name is PTFE. We stock natural PTFE and filled grades (glass-filled, bronze-filled, carbon-filled) for higher load capacity.
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