Why Do We Use Polytetrafluoroethylene?

Polytetrafluoroethylene is used as a non-stick coating for pans and other cookware. It is non-reactive, partly because of the strength of carbon–fluorine bonds, and so it is often used in containers and pipework for reactive and corrosive chemicals.

What causes polytetrafluoroethylene?

Polytetrafluoroethylene, also known as Teflon®, is made with four ingredients -- fluorspar, hydrofluoric acid, chloroform, and water, which are combined in a chemical reaction chamber heated to between 1094-1652°F (590-900°C). Creating PTFE involves 2 main phases and a series of reactions.

Is polytetrafluoroethylene still used?

Teflon is a brand name for a synthetic chemical used to coat cookware. There are concerns that chemicals once used in the manufacturing process of Teflon could potentially increase cancer risk. Those chemicals have not been used in Teflon products since 2013. Today's Teflon is considered to be safe cookware.