All Teflon™ coating varieties are “fluoropolymers,” which are fluorocarbon-based polymers with multiple carbon-fluorine bonds. This classification means that they possess a number of performance characteristics that are highly desirable in industrial and consumer applications. There are currently over 50 varieties of Teflon™ fluoropolymers that Intech Services provides.
However, there are four main “families” of fluoropolymer chemical formulations. And within each product family, there are a number of Teflon™ products to provide you with the best industrial coating for your particular application. The four main families are:
If you need help selecting the exact Teflon™ variety for your application, the Intech Services on-call Technical Support Team is always available to answer your questions: 302-366-8530. If you want to research every variety on your own, click here for Teflon™ SDS and Fact Sheets.
PTFE nonstick coatings are two-coat (primer/topcoat) systems. These products have the highest operating temperature of any fluoropolymer (260°C/500°F), an extremely low coefficient of friction, good abrasion resistance, and good chemical resistance. Teflon™ PTFE is available only in water-based liquid form.
FEP nonstick coatings melt and flow during baking to provide nonporous films. These coatings provide excellent chemical resistance. In addition to low friction, Teflon™ FEP coatings have excellent nonstick coating properties. Maximum use temperature is 204°C/400°F. Teflon™ FEP coatings are available in water-based liquid and powder forms.
PFA nonstick coatings melt and flow during baking to provide nonporous films. Teflon™ PFA coatings offer the additional benefits of higher continuous use temperature (260°C/500°F), greater toughness than Teflon™ PTFE or Teflon™ FEP, and some Teflon™ PFA coatings can have film thicknesses of up to 1,000 micrometers (40 mils). This combination of properties makes Teflon™ PFA an excellent choice for a wide variety of uses, especially those involving chemical resistance. Teflon™ PFA protective coatings are available in both water-based liquid and powder forms.
ETFE is a copolymer of ethylene and tetrafluoroethylene and is also sold under the Tefzel® trademark. Although not fully fluorinated, Tefzel® ETFE has excellent chemical resistance and can operate continuously at 149°C/300°F. This resin is the toughest of the fluoropolymer coatings and can be applied at film builds up to 2,000 micrometers (80 mils) to provide a highly durable protective coating. ETFE is available in powder form.
