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Polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE)

PTFE is a highly fluorinated high performance polymer which is characterised by high temperature resistance, excellent chemical stability as well as by low friction coefficients.
This makes PTFE an ideal candidate where pressure, temperature and friction meet. The reason for this unusual combination of properties is the PTFE’s chemical structure. Here, the polymer chain is fully occupied with fluorine atoms, on the one hand protecting the material against chemical attacks and thermal decomposition but on the other hand reducing the cohesion within the material. Although this results in unfilled or low-filled PTFE-based formulations showing low friction, but high wear and tear. The wear rate can be dramatically lowered by selecting appropriate filling materials. In addition to the wear resistance, the mechanical rigidity of the material is also increased and its thermal expansion coefficient is significantly reduced.

Polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE)

The advantages at a glance

Permanent temperature resistance
up to 260 °C

Short-term temperature resistance
up to 300 °C

High pressure resistance (with filled compounds)

Flame retardant (even under
pure oxygen)

Antibacterial
effect

Almost universal
chemical resistance

Physiologically harmless (suitable for food applications)

Lowest coefficient of friction of all commercial plastics

High wear resistance (with special tribologically optimized formulations)

Optimized production of
semi-finished products

Manufacturing of semi-finished products at the company STASSKOL includes beside this “cold compression moulding” in addition the so-called optimised “hot compression moulding”. Here, highly-filled PTFE materials are processed at high pressure, sintered in the oven and pressed again under high pressure above the glass transition temperature. This enables the processing of highly filled recipes and the achievement of high densities as well as excellent mechanical properties.
STASSKOL uses the hot compression process in order to provide the customer PTFE-based materials with very high filling levels. Dependent on the recipe, these materials are characterised by excellent mechanical properties, high wear resistance, low thermal expansion coefficients as well as high resistance to pressure. The positive properties such as the very good chemical resistance and low friction remain here, enabling the realisation of unique combinations of properties.

SK449

The highly-filled SK449 serves as a practical example with a high Shore D hardness of 64.5 in addition to its good mechanical properties as well as a thermal expansion coefficient which can hold its own against aluminium. Quite an outstanding combination for a material that is often ignored because of its high thermal expansion coefficient.
This special recipe was developed specifically at a customer’s wish for dry running bearing bushings at application temperatures of up to 180°C. It is just one of several examples of how diversely the property combinations of the PTFE-based materials can be varied via the selection of appropriate fillers in the right concentrations.

Materials for standard applications

In addition to the development of customised materials for your individual product solution, STASSKOL naturally has a diverse product range with standardised recipes based on polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE).

PTFE-based materials

  • ESKAFLON 101

    Glass fibres for simple moulded parts, high chemical resistance

  • ESKAFLON 202

    Glass fibres, carbon & graphite, high wear-resistance, average mechanical properties

  • ESKAFLON 305

    Bronze, glass fibers, carbon, molybdenum, wear-resistant, for oxygen applications, BAM-tested

  • ESKAFLON 401

    Carbon/graphite, average filler level, good mechanical properties, compliant with food industry standards

  • ESKAFLON 406

    Carbon/graphite, highly filled, very good mechanical properties, compliant with food industry standards

  • ESKAFLON 449

    Carbon/graphite, highest filler level, low expansion, high rigidity, compliant with food industry standards

  • ESKAFLON 701

    Special recipe, very good mechanical properties, high wear resistance with Nitrogen

  • ESKAFLON 801

    Special recipe, very good mechanical properties, high wear resistance with Hydrogen

  • ESKAFLON 810

    Polyimide filler, very low friction, high temperature range, low abrasion

Customised recipes

The perfect MATCH

We are aware of the advantages of our high performance polymers and are able to support you in the right selection of the matrix material. Moreover, we can customise the properties profile of the material for your application with appropriate additives.
Ask us – we are happy to advise you!
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There for you for over 100 years
Research & development
on our own, globally unique test bench
Julian Große-Segerath

Julian Große-Segerath

Germany, Austria, Switzerland

  • High-Performance Polymers

Inquiry

We will be happy to advise you on the selection of the optimum high performance polymers for your specific application.