PTFE or polytetrafluoroethylene was discovered on April 6, 1938 by Dr. Roy
Plunkett at the DuPont research laboratories -- specifically the Jackson
Laboratory in New Jersey.

Plunkett was working with gases related to Freon® refrigerants when upon
checking a frozen, compressed sample of tetrafluoroethylene, he and his
associates discovered that the sample had polymerized spontaneously into a
white, waxy solid to form polytetrafluoroethylene or PTFE.
PTFE was first marketed under the DuPont Teflon ® trademark in 1945. The
molecular weight of Teflon can exceed 30,000,000, making it one of the
largest molecules known. The surface is so slippery, virtually nothing
sticks to it or is absorbed by it.

For this reason, Teflon was choosen to be used on non-stick cooking pans.

Today, Teflon applicaitons are used in cooking, apparel, automotice,
household,personl care and industrial areas.

DuPont even has a specific web site, devoted just to Teflon !
http://www.teflon.com/

g. beat

"Bill" wrote in message
...
I've heard plenty about teflon being invented for the space program, I
think the story is that it was invented as wiring insulation for the
Mercury capsule, but with the recent press stuff about it, I've seen
reports that it was actually invented in the '30s. Which is it?