TEFLON® PTFE fluoropolymer resins developed by DuPont and fibers manufactured by TFA have unusually high thermo-chemical resistance and display exceptionally low coefficients of friction. The molecular structure of TEFLON® PTFE fluoropolymer consists of long chains of carbon atoms fully saturated by fluorine atoms.

Stands up to temperatures as high as 500° F (260° C) Resists virtually any chemical, even the most toxic and corrosive Maintains elasticity at temperatures as low as -112° F (-80° C) Can be combined with other substances to meet a wide range of performance demands

The carbon-fluorine bonds are extremely strong and the carbon­carbon bonds are well-shielded by the fluorine atoms. Molecules of TEFLON® PTFE fluoropolymer are electrically neutral and therefore lack the strong polar forces that bind together the molecules of other fibers such as nylon or cellulose. However, the extreme regularity of the molecules permits very close packing.

TEFLON® PTFE fibers are processed to a higher degree of molecular orientation than their resin counterpart. Thus the stress-strain properties and resistance to cold flow of the fiber are markedly different from those of the resin as shown in the table below. Other properties of the fibers and resins are essentially identical.

Table I
Typical Properties of TEFLON® PTFE fluoropolymer
		Fiber	Resin
Ultimate tensile strength, psi		52,500	2,000
	(MPa)	(359)	(14)
Elongation at break, %		19	300
Initial modulus, psi		360,000	60,000
	(MPa)	(2,480)	(414)
Load borne without cold flow, psi		60,000	2,000**
	(MPa)	(414)	(14)
**15% deformation after 24 hours