Teflon®: the slipperiest synthetic solid
Q: If Teflon® is so slippery that nothing sticks to it, then how does it stick to the metal on cookware? --Brad K., Loma Linda, CA
A: It's a nifty trick. The latest technique at DuPont, maker of Teflon®, is their "smooth technology".
DuPont added a sticky molecule to the non-stick Teflon® molecule to create a stickier bottom coat or primer. A frying-pan maker applies
the non-stick to a pan in layers: primer first, then a couple of layers of Teflon®. The primer bonds as the pan bakes and chemically locks
to the smooth metal. How? Trade secret.
By the way, in 1938, Roy J. Plunkett discovered Teflon®-- by accident-- while testing DuPont's refrigerant gas, Freon®. He made a
mistake that allowed the gas molecules to bond and form an extremely slippery substance. He eventually developed the white-powder
mess into Teflon®.
(Answered Aug. 23, 2002)
Further Surfing:
David Kennedy: Uses of Teflon® (skating?)
Xcel Plus: Teflon and pans by Hannah Holmes
MIT: Inventor of the Week
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