Natural Engineering Plastic PTFE Rod - 4mm To 120mm

Advantages of PTFE Rod:

• Coefficient of friction is incredibly low.
• Maximum working temperature of +260°C (+300°C for short periods)
• Minimum working temperature -260°C
• Outstanding electrical insulation properties
• Minimal moisture absorption
• Highly Chemical & Acid resistant.
• Highly UV resistant
• PTFE is one of the most thermally stable plastic materials.
• Food approved & non toxic

Disadvantages of PTFE Rod:

• PTFE rod is quite soft
• It more expensive than nylon/acetal etc
• It’s a heavy material in comparison to other plastics

PTFE Rod perform:

• Products made with PTFE have exceptional resistance to high and low temperatures, chemical reaction, corrosion, and stress-cracking. The electrical and low-friction properties of PTFE make it the preferred plastic for a host of applications.

PTFE Rod is used for:

• Owing to its low friction, PTFE is used for applications where sliding action of parts is needed:
• Plain bearings
• Gears
• Seals
• Cryogenic applications, etc.
• In low friction applications, it performs significantly better than nylon and acetal; it is comparable to ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), although UHMWPE is more resistant to wear than PTFE.
• It’s extremely high bulk resistivity makes it an ideal material for fabricating long-life electrets, useful devices that are the electrostatic analogues of magnets.

Machining Characteristics of PTFE Rod;

• Because of its softness, inherent low friction and resulting “slipperiness”, PTFE can be difficult to chuck and hold tight in a lathe, it can crush and/or distort. It is also recommended to use a high speed lathe and sharp tools, and slow movement. Another consideration is the long strings of swarf, which can wrap around tooling.

PTFE Rod be glued or bonded:

• PTFE must undergo surface preparation prior to bonding, such as a flame, corona discharge or plasma treatment or etching, e.g. using a solution of sodium and naphthalene in tetrahydrofuran. Adhesive companies produce proprietary primers also. Once the surface is prepared, a number of adhesives can be used including, epoxies, polyurethanes, acrylics and rubber based adhesives. Companies such as Loctite and 3M have developed specialist acrylic based adhesives that bond directly to PTFE with no need for pre-treatment other than a preliminary solvent wipe.

PTFE Rod be used in food applications:

• The most common food grade use of PTFE is DuPont’s Teflon® lining for cookware.

PTFE Rod wear resistant:

• Due to its softness, Its wear resistance depends upon the severity of the abrasiveness and the speed and loads, but if any of these are high then PTFE rod’s wear resistance may be compromised. The wear resistance of other materials and Plastics can be considerably improved by using PTFE as filler.

 PTFE Rod chemical resistant:

• PTFE is practically inert against known elements and compounds. It is attacked only by the alkaline metals in the elementary state, by Chlorine trifluoride and by elementary Fluorine at high temperatures and pressures.
• PTFE is insoluble in almost all solvents at temperatures up to about 300°C. Fluorinated hydrocarbons cause a certain swelling which is however reversible and some highly fluorinated oils, at temperatures over 300°C, exercise a certain dissolving effect upon PTFE.

 PTFE Rod chemical resistant:

• PTFE is practically inert against known elements and compounds. It is attacked only by the alkaline metals in the elementary state, by Chlorine trifluoride and by elementary Fluorine at high temperatures and pressures.
• PTFE is insoluble in almost all solvents at temperatures up to about 300°C. Fluorinated hydrocarbons cause a certain swelling which is however reversible and some highly fluorinated oils, at temperatures over 300°C, exercise a certain dissolving effect upon PTFE.

Unique Characteristics for PTFE Rod:

• PTFE is the only known surface to which a gecko cannot stick.

PTFE Rod have a famous trade name:

• Teflon ® (DuPont)

What is the size range, colours and availability of PTFE Rod:

• PTFE rod is available in white (natural) and in diameters ranging from 4mm up to 120mm. 

What to be aware of with PTFE Rod:

• Dangerous when heated above 400°C. It has been established that PTFE may be hazardous while being machined if PTFE dust or shavings are exposed to extremely high temperatures, such as lit cigarettes. PTFE decomposes to yield highly toxic fumes of fluorides and, as a result, inhalation of PTFE dust through a lighted cigarette could be injurious to health.

Choose PTFE Rod?

• PTFE rod offers high chemical resistance, low and high temperature capability, resistance to weathering, low friction, electrical and thermal insulation, and "slipperiness"

Summary for PTFE Rod:

• PTFE was the first fluorocarbon. It is the most chemically resistant plastic known. Only a few chemicals react with it. Its mechanical properties are low compared to other engineering plastics, but its properties remain at a useful level over a greater temperature range, from-240°C to 260°C. PTFE has excellent thermal and electrical insulation properties. And, it has a low coefficient of friction. It is difficult to make anything adhere to PTFE. Without proper preparation, a material may stick to it, but the material can be peeled off or rubbed off.