Fluoropolymer

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A fluoropolymer is a polymer that contains atoms of fluorine. It is characterized by a high resistance to solvents, acids, and bases.

Fluoropolymers were discovered serendipitously in 1938 by Dr. Roy J. Plunkett. He was working on freon (for the DuPont corporation) and accidentally polymerized tetrafluoroethylene. The result was PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), more commonly known as Teflon. This material had the lowest coefficient of friction of any known solid and was inert to virtually all chemicals.

Examples of fluoropolymers:

PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), sold by DuPont under the tradename Teflon
PFA (perfluoroalkoxy polymer resin), sold by DuPont under the tradename Teflon
FEP (fluorinated ethylene-propylene), sold by DuPont under the tradename Teflon
ETFE polyethylenetetrafluoroethylene(Tefzel^[1]), (Fluon^[2] )
PVF polyvinylfluoride Tedlar^[3]
ECTFE polyethylenechlorotrifluoroethylene(Halar^[4])
PVDF polyvinylidene fluoride (Kynar^[5])
PCTFE (Kel-F, CTFE) polychlorotrifluoroethylene
FFKM (Kalrez^[6], Tecnoflon^[7] FFKM)
FPM/FKM (Viton^[8], Tecnoflon)

Fluoropolymers may be mechanically characterized as thermosets or thermoplastics. They are often applied to manufactured metal parts by electrostatic powder coating, or attached in large sheets with epoxy to line the interior of large metal and non-metal containers.