CHEMISTRY GLOSSARY

Teflon is a DuPont Company trademark for polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). It was discovered in 1938 by R. J. Plunkett. Teflon has the lowest coefficient of friction of any solid material known to man. It is also used as a non-stick coating for pans and other cookware. Teflon is very unreactive, and so is often used in containers and pipework for reactive chemicals. Its melting point is 327 °C.