PTFE – Polytetrafluoroethylene film

PTFE is applied as a thin-film coating on pans and other cookware to make them non-stick. The material is non-reactive, and hydrophobic–neither water nor water-containing substances can wet PTFE. This is partly because of the strength of the carbon–fluorine bonds in the material.

The material is suitable for use as a film on containers and pipework for reactive and corrosive chemicals, and where used as a lubricant, PTFE reduces friction, wear, and the energy consumption of machinery. It is frequently employed as a coating on catheters, preventing bacteria or other infectious agents to adhere to the catheters, and cause infections. Within the medical field, it is also commonly used as a graft material in surgical interventions. In film format, PTFE is widely used in the production of carbon fibre composites and fiberglass composites, oriented towards the aerospace industry.