What is PTFE used for?

PTFE has too many uses to list let alone write about them all, so below are just a few....

Carpet protection
PTFE can be applied by spray application after a carpet has just been cleaned. It then dries quickly, leaves no odour, is CFC free and safe for children and pets. PTFE protects the carpet from liquid stains and dry soil by forming an invisible shield around each fibre which then lowers the surface energy of the carpet fibres causing them to repel liquid stains and dirt.

Cooking
PTFE's unique (and world record breaking!) non-stick property makes it ideal for use in the kitchen. From frying pans to bakeware, PTFE is well known for making life in the kitchen easier by saving the user time and trouble. As PTFE is also very stable at high temperatures, traditional stainless steel is now being swapped for non-stick in homes and restaurants around the world.

Nail varnish
Nail polishes needn't be a short term thing anymore with Sally Hansen's line of Teflon^® Tuff^TM long wearing nail colour. The nail polish is extra tough to withsatnd everyday wear and tear and prevents chipping.
("TEFLON" is a registered trademark of DuPont and is used under license to Del Laboratories, Inc.)

Chemical industry
A major problem within the chemical industry is corrosion. PTFE is extremely useful as an anti-corrosion material because of its high chemical stability. PTFE can be used as the coating and liner of chemical container. It can be processed into pipe-liner, and molded into pipe fittings. PTFE lined and coated steel apparatus can transport nitric acid, sulfuric acid, and other strong corrosive liquids, which has achieved good results.

Atomic bomb
In 1941, the United States started work on the atomic bomb and the needed a way of separating the two isotopes of uranium, and this had to be done by using uranium hexafluoride, which is extremely reactive. Consequently, there became a need for a substance which could be used for gaskets, vessel linings and tubes but would also have to be very inert so as not to be eaten away by the uranium hexafluoride. Teflon seemed an ideal choice, and with the drive of a wartime economy, money was available to do the research to overcome the problems of working with Teflon (as it doesn't dissolve in commonly used solvents and other technical problems).

Permanent implants PTFE is used in a wide variety of permanent implants from coatings on sutures and vascular grafts. PTFE can be used within the body due to its inert and benign properties so there isn't the risk of reactions within the body. The majority of PTFE resin used for permanent implants is used for lifesaving implants like sewing collars for heart valves and catheter access ports.