Teflon-what's the real story?

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?

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?

Bill wrote:

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?

The latter. Also, teflon-coated cookware went on the market in the
mid 1950s, and wasn't even a US invention.

Paul

"Paul F. Dietz" wrote in message ...
Bill wrote:

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?

The latter. Also, teflon-coated cookware went on the market in the
mid 1950s, and wasn't even a US invention.

Paul

Yet more evidence of the failing U.S. education system . . . I had
always been taught that New Jersey was, in the United States. (now
ducking and fleeing the inevitable onset of sarcasm )

: 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?
:
: The latter. Also, teflon-coated cookware went on the market in the
: mid 1950s, and wasn't even a US invention.
:
: Paul

: Yet more evidence of the failing U.S. education system . . . I had
: always been taught that New Jersey was, in the United States. (now

While the chemical teflon was invented in the US, teflon coated
cookware (called 'Tefal') was originally made and marketed in France.
It was selling millions of pans a year, but US manufacturers weren't
interested. Only after 'Tefal' ware was imported and became a success did
US manufacturers create their own lines of Teflon cookware.
In another twist, it was a housewife who first suggested using
Teflon on a pan. Her husband was trying to apply it to....fishing tackle!
Before this French innovation, teflon was almost exclusively for industrial
usage.

regards,
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

John Pelchat wrote:

Yet more evidence of the failing U.S. education system . . . I had
always been taught that New Jersey was, in the United States. (now
ducking and fleeing the inevitable onset of sarcasm )

New Jersey? Teflon-coated cookware was invented in France, and
was first sold in Paris, IIRC.

Paul

"Paul F. Dietz" wrote in message
...
Bill wrote:

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?

The latter. Also, teflon-coated cookware went on the market in the
mid 1950s, and wasn't even a US invention.

Btw, just read a great "Teflon" story from "On Rope" (On Rope is written for
cavers doing vertical work).

One item many cavers use is a rappel rack. Basically a U shapped bar with a
ring at one end to clip to your harness. Spanning the U shape are bars
(generally 6 on a full size one). The rope is woven between them. The more
bars and the closer they are to each other, the more friction.... so you can
control your speed. Pretty basic stuff.

Now, believe it or not, a gritty cave rope over time can easily wear away
aluminum bars. This can be annoying.

So apparently (and you probably saw this coming) some caver got the bright
idea of coating his bars in Teflon.

NOT a good idea.

Sure, solves the wear problem. But...



Paul

On 10/7/04 5:57 AM, in article ,
"Bill" wrote:

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?


And it's a terrible thing to use for wiring insulation, since it
cold-flows. It's banned for use in most aerospace applications that I am
aware of.

Brett

In article ,
Brett Buck wrote:

On 10/7/04 5:57 AM, in article ,
"Bill" wrote:

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?


And it's a terrible thing to use for wiring insulation, since it
cold-flows. It's banned for use in most aerospace applications that I am
aware of.

Brett

In most aerospace electrical applications, perhaps. It's widely used as
a seal material for low and moderate pressure fluid components in
aerospace applications.

--
Herb Schaltegger, B.S., J.D.
"Never underestimate the power of human stupidity."
~ Robert A. Heinlein
http://www.angryherb.net

In message ,
Herb Schaltegger writes
In article ,
Brett Buck wrote:

On 10/7/04 5:57 AM, in article ,
"Bill" wrote:

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?


And it's a terrible thing to use for wiring insulation, since it
cold-flows. It's banned for use in most aerospace applications that I am
aware of.


In most aerospace electrical applications, perhaps. It's widely used as
a seal material for low and moderate pressure fluid components in
aerospace applications.

Is that because it _does_ cold flow?