What Is Fluoroplastic Material?

What is fluoroplastic?

Fluoroplastics are plastics that contain fluorine atoms in their molecular formula. Fluoroplastics are made up of individual fluorine-containing materials. For example, tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoroethylene, trifluoroethylene chloride, vinylidene fluoride, and fluorine vinyl, etc., are produced by homopolymerization or copolymerization reaction. Accompanied by the continuous progress of polymer materials technology, the types of fluoroplastics have been gradually increased, and the field of application is expanding. Because fluoroplastics contain fluorine atoms in their molecular formula, they have many outstanding properties, such as good insulation, very high temperature resistance, significant wear resistance, water washing and abrasion resistance, good resistance to moisture and low temperature. Therefore, fluorine plastic products occupy an important position in national security, electromechanical engineering, metallurgical industry, petrochemical equipment and other industrial sectors.

Polytetrafluoroethylene

Trade name [teflon", [Teflon", [Teflon", [Teflon", [4F", etc... PTFE is a perfluoropolymer produced by free radical polymerization of tetrafluoroethylene, which has a linear molecular structure with -CF2-CF2-repeat units, and is a crystalline polymer with a melting point of about 631°F and a density of 2.13-2.19g/cm3. PTFE has an excellent resistance to chemicals, a dielectric constant of 2.1, a low loss factor, and is stable over a wide range of temperatures and frequencies. Stable over a wide range of temperatures and frequencies. It has good mechanical properties from low temperatures up to 550V.

PTFE high impact strength, but tensile strength, wear resistance, creep resistance than other engineering plastics. Glass fibers, bronze, carbon and graphite are sometimes added to improve its special mechanical properties. It has a lower coefficient of friction than almost any other material and has a high oxygen index.

PTFE is available as granules, condensed fine powders (0.2 microns) and aqueous dispersions. Pellets are used for compression molding and plunger extrusion; fine powders can be paste extruded into thin-walled materials; and dispersions can be used as coatings and impregnated porous materials. Pure PTEE products distributed in the U.S. market include Auimont USA's AI-goflo brand, DU POut's Teflon brand, ICI AInericas Inc's FI brand, and HOechstCelanese's HOSaflon brand.

PTFE has a very high melt viscosity, which prevents the adoption of customary melt extrusion or molding techniques. Molding and extrusion methods for granular PTFE are similar to those used for powdered metals and ceramics, with compression followed by high-temperature sintering; fine powders need to be mixed with processing aids (such as naphtha) to form a paste, then extruded under high pressure to form a thin-walled material that is then heated to get rid of volatile processing aids and finally sintered.

Polyperfluoroethylene propylene

FEP is a copolymerization of tetrafluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene. with a crystalline melting point of 580 °F and a density of 2.15 g/CC (grams per cubic centimeter), FEP is a soft plastic with tensile strength, abrasion resistance, and creep resistance lower than that of many engineering plastics. It is chemically inert and has a low dielectric constant (2.1) over a wide range of temperatures and frequencies. The material does not ignite and prevents the spread of flame. It has excellent weatherability, a low coefficient of friction, and can be used from low temperatures to 392°F. The material is available in granular form for extrusion and molding, as a powder for fluid bed and electrostatic finishes, and as an aqueous dispersion. Semi-finished products are available as films, sheets, rods, and monofibers. FEP distributed in the U.S. market are DUIPont's Teflon brand, Daikin's Neoflo brand, Hoechst Celanese's IHoustaflow brand. Its main uses are in the inner villages of pipes and chemical equipment, the top layer of rollers and various wires and cables, such as aircraft hook-up wires, booster cables, alarm cables, flat cables and oil well logging cables.FEP films have been seen used as thin coatings for solar collectors.

Fusible Polytetrafluoroethylene

PFA is a polytetrafluoroethylene modified at temperatures up to 260°C. Perfluoroalkoxy resins (PFA) resins are relatively new melt-processable fluoroplastics. PFA has a melting point of approximately 580°F and a density of 2.13-2.16 g/cc (grams per cubic centimeter). PFA is similar to PTFE and FEP, but at temperatures above 302°C, the mechanical properties are slightly better than those of FEP, and can be used at temperatures up to 500°F. Its chemical resistance is comparable to that of PTEF. It can be used at temperatures up to 500°F, and its chemical resistance is comparable to that of PTEF. PFA is available in granular form for molding and extrusion, and in powder form for rotational molding and coating; semi-finished products include film, sheet, rod, and pipe. The PFA resins distributed in the U.S. market are Teflon from DUPOut, Neoflon from Daikin, Hthen from Ansimont, and Hostafl from HOechst Celanese, etc. The uses of PFA are similar to those of FEP.

Polychlorotrifluoroethylene

PCTFE is the product of free radical initiated polymerization of chlorotrifluoroethylene with a predominantly linear backbone of repeating units.PCTFE is a crystalline macromolecule with a melting point of 425 °F and a density of 2.13. It has a high density of 2.13 °F and a low density of 1.5 °F.

PCTFE is inert to most active chemicals at room temperature, while it can be dissolved by a few solvents above 212 T. It can also be solubilized by some solvents, especially chlorinated solvents.PCTFE has excellent gas barrier ability, and the water vapor permeability of its film products is the lowest among all transparent plastic films. Its electrical properties are similar to those of other perfluoropolymers, but the dielectric constant and loss factor are slightly higher, especially at high frequencies.PCTFE can be made into thick (1/8 inch) optically transparent parts.PCTFE can be processed in the melt, but it is difficult to process due to the high viscosity of the melt and the tendency for degradation to lead to deterioration in the performance of processed products.PCTFE resins are available as pellets for molding and extrusion. Film thickness of 0.001-0.010 inches, can also be made into rods and tubes. PCTFE resin marketed in the United States are 3M's Kel-FI brand, Daikin's Daiflon brand, AlliedlSignal's Acfon brand.

In the production process of power cables, common fluoroplastics are polytetrafluoroethylene, polyperfluoroethylene PE , polyfluoroethylene, tetrafluoroethylene and ethylene copolymers, etc., used in the manufacture of a variety of high-temperature resistance to sustained high-temperature insulated cables, test (oil) well cable line, geological environment detection cable line heating cable, F-class H-class motor lead wire, irradiation-resistant wires, special cables, RF coaxial cables, etc..

Fluoroplastics are produced by homopolymerization or copolymerization of fluorine-containing monomers, such as tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, trifluoroethylene chloride, vinylidene fluoride, and fluoroethylene. Polytetrafluoroethylene is the main variety of fluoroplastics, with excellent chemical stability, weather resistance, electrical insulation, flame retardant, outstanding surface non-stick, very low coefficient of friction, a wide range of operating temperatures, can be used as abrasion-resistant, corrosion-resistant, sealing, insulating, anti-adhesive and high and low temperature materials, suitable for long-term in the range of temperatures of -80 ~ 250 ℃ work. Tetrafluoroethylene-ethylene copolymer, called Fluoroplastic 40, is the smallest density of fluoroplastics (1.7~1-75g/cm3), both Polyethylene irradiation resistance and tetrafluoroethylene corrosion resistance, acid, alkali, salt corrosion-resistant aqueous solutions, in the solvent does not dissolve, dissolve. It can be used as anti-corrosion, electric insulation and anti-irradiation parts in chemical, mechanical, electrical and atomic energy industries, with long-term use temperature of -60~180℃ and short-term use temperature of 230℃. Tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene copolymer, composed of about 82% of tetrafluoroethylene and about 18% of hexafluoropropylene, performance and use and perchloroethylene is similar, but can be used in general thermoplastic molding and processing methods molding and processing, suitable for work at -85 ~ 205 ℃ temperature. Trichloroethylene - vinyl copolymer called fluoroplastic 30, both the mechanical strength of nylon, fluorine plastic corrosion resistance and high density polyethylene molding properties, good adhesion to metal, their own fusion and welding, there are excellent ultraviolet, infrared transmission and gas barrier properties, suitable for the manufacture of seals, mechanical parts and low-frequency insulating products in the work of strong currents, moisture or corrosive media conditions, and so on.

Performance characteristics of fluoroplastics

Performance properties of fluoroplastics: Polytetrafluoroethylene, perfluoro(butadiene-pe) polymer (FEP) is composed entirely of oxygen and fluorine atoms, while the molecular structure of Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVF) also contains hydrogen atoms, and poly(trifluoroethylene) also contains chlorine atoms. The excellent performance of fluoroplastics is accomplished by the high electronegativity between oxygen and fluorine atoms.

1. Thermal properties Fluoroplastics have flame retardant and excellent temperature resistance.PTFE and PFA can be used up to 260 ℃, and can be used from 300 ℃ in the short term.FEP's application temperature will be 60 ℃ lower than theirs.PCTFE's higher can be used at 120 ℃. Fluoroplastics such as long-term high temperature application will also cause grain size change, in the production of equipment lining, in particular, must pay attention to.

2. Chemical resistance line fluoroplastics have excellent chemical resistance line and solvent resistance, especially PTFE, PFA, FEP, etc., acid, alkali, organic solvents on these are not corrosive. But the melting of alkaline earth metals, fluorine, chlorinated hydrocarbons have a great impact on these PCTFE, ETFE, PVDF in fluoroplastics, chemical resistance line is slightly weaker, but better than other plastics or corrosion resistance.

3. Electrical properties fluoroplastics power performance, especially high-frequency electrical performance is difficult to match other materials. PTFE, FEP, PFA molecular positive and negative poles are relatively low, in such a wide range of temperatures, operating frequency band shift is not large, the dielectric constant is smooth, dielectric loss is relatively low, excellent insulating properties. In which PVDF also has a special piezoelectricity and charging, can be used to manufacture piezoelectric profiles.

4. Mechanical equipment performance fluoroplastics molecular structure of peroxide, chlorine atoms to enhance the tensile strength is also improved. PTFE and PCTFE aging temperature is very low, showing very good low temperature performance. PTFE has a relatively low friction resistance and special self-lubricating properties. However, PTFE also has its own abrasive diamond-grade cold flow and other problems. Can be taken to add a variety of fillers to improve wear resistance, to get rid of the cold flow.

5. Non-stickiness Fluoroplastics have special non-stick properties. Especially in the molecular structure of PTPE, FEP, PFA and other high fluorine content, the surface tension of the surface is particularly large, so that the liquid in the surface of the fluoroplastic products into a spherical shape. It is not easy to bond with epoxy resin, so it is common to manufacture kitchenware surface non-stick Xu layer.

6. Marriage resistance Various varieties of fluoroplastics are excellent resistance to aging, even in harsh temperatures for a long time in the sun, a variety of properties have not changed.

7. Hydrophobicity Fluoroplastics have a low water absorption rate, and PTFE is why. It can be used to produce water-repellent production of air permeable composite textiles and other weaponry.