Here’s our Tape guide in relation to Teflon® Tape, going forward it will be referred to as PTFE tape as Teflon tape is a brand name.
PTFE tape is a common, inexpensive, and effective thin white tape used to seal pipe threads being joined together for plumbing jobs.
It is used to seal water, air, and gas from leaking through threaded connections that don’t have a built-in rubber seal.
Technically known as PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) it is silky in texture and breaks in a stringy manner. This tape can also be referred to as thread seal tape or pipe thread tape.
PTFE was discovered In 1938 when Dr. Roy Plunkett, a chemist working for DuPont, was experimenting with a new type of refrigerant gas. While conducting a routine experiment, he noticed something unusual. The gas had disappeared, and a white, waxy substance had formed in its place.
Intrigued by this unexpected discovery, Plunkett began to investigate the properties of the new material. He found that it was incredibly resistant to heat, chemicals, and stains. It was also remarkably non-stick, a property that would later prove invaluable in countless applications.
After years of research and development, DuPont introduced PTFE to the world under the brand name Teflon™ in 1946. The material quickly gained popularity due to its exceptional properties and versatility.
Polytetrafluoroethylene – A non-stick coating for pans, cookware, and even industrial food processing machinery. The pan must be made of aluminium or an aluminium alloy. The pan surface has to be specially prepared to receive the PTFE.
It is very non-reactive, partly because of the strength of carbon-fluorine bonds, and so it is often the choice of material used in containers and pipework for corrosive and reactive chemicals.
Where used as a lubricant, PTFE has low friction, wear, and energy consumption of machinery, there are many uses for PTFE tape.
The tape is waxy which is why it is used primarily for plumbing and electronics. It can be used to fix coils, insulation, and threads.
PTFE is designed to coat the threads of plumbing components and create a tighter seal. If you use the tape on any plumbing repairs that involve threaded pipes you will have good workmanship.
The whole purpose behind PTFE tape is to make a better seal between plumbing parts.
When applying the tape, use plenty. Available in a number of different widths. Though ½-inch tape is not the only tape used by professional plumbers, it is the most versatile.
It is small enough for little repairs, but wide enough to repair longer tubes.
PTFE tape is so versatile it can be used at temperatures ranging from -270°C to 260°C. PTFE has an outstanding chemical resistance and is unaffected by all known chemicals except alkali metals and under certain conditions, fluorine.
PTFE has excellent weather resistance and has an extremely wide working temperature range.
It is the best of the solid dielectrics and an excellent insulator. It is worth noting that it cannot be used on drinking water pipes.
How PTFE Coating Made?
FOUR Ingredients are used
Fluorspar, hydrofluoric acid, chloroform, and water
They are combined at a temperature of 1094-1652°F (590-900°C) inside a special chemical reaction chamber this process is called “pyrolysis”
This creates TFE which is volatile and flammable.
The second stage is polymerization TFE is polymerized into PTFE, using small amounts of ammonium persulfate or disuccinic acid peroxide and water.
We can cater to any special requirements you require for Teflon Tapes i.e custom sizes and special widths, our team can help assist you with dispatch, customs, and shipping, we ship to over 30 destinations and have been established for over 20 years. Please get in touch with our Technical Sales team at +44 (0) 1422 366386 or email at sales@techbelt.com
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