Fluoroplastics

PTFE is inert to virtually all chemicals and is considered to be the most slippery material in existence - it has the lowest coefficient of friction of any known solid material. These properties have made it one of the most valuable and versatile technologies ever invented, contributing to significant advancements in areas such as aerospace, communications, electronics, industrial processes and architecture. As Teflon, it has become a familiar household name, recognised worldwide for the superior non-stick properties associated with its use as a coating on cookware and as a soil and stain repellent for fabrics and textile products.

The aim of this review is to acquaint the readers with the science and technology of fluoroplastics that represent a unique group of plastics used in many dynamic industries, including automotive, aerospace, wire and cable insulations, oil and gas recovery, semiconductor manufacture and others.

The scope of this review includes basic chemistry, properties (attributes and limitations), processing methods and equipment, applications, recent developments and trends.

This Rapra Review Report comprises a concise, expert review, supported by an extensive bibliography compiled from the Rapra Abstracts database on the topic of fluoroplastics. This bibliography provides useful additional information on this topical field.

About the author...

Jiri George Drobny, educated at the Technical University in Prague in Chemical Engineering (processing of plastics and elastomers) at the Institute of Polymer Science of the University of Akron (physics and engineering of polymers), and at Shippensburg State University (management and finance). His career spans over 35 years in the rubber and plastics processing industry in Europe, the US and Canada, mainly in R&D with senior and executive responsibilities. Currently, he is President of Drobny Polymer Associates an international consulting firm specializing in fluoropolymer science and technology, radiation processing and elastomer technology. Active as an educator, lecturer, author, and as technical and scientific translator. He is member of the Society of Plastic Engineers, American Chemical Society and SAMPE and is listed in Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in Plastics and Polymers, Who’s Who in Science and Engineering, Who’s Who in the East. He resides in New Hampshire.