Teflon: Bring home the bacon, fry it up in the...

Type of Engineering involved: Chemical

Some materials can be used for many things,  and sometimes we don’t know what they are until we test them! In 1938, scientists at the DuPont Company accidentally discovered polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). It took them more than 10 years to find a use for it, but now it’s EVERYWHERE. We know it by the name Teflon.

Teflon can be used for lots of things. It is heat resistant and flexible. It won't absorb moisture and doesn't rust or break when exposed to the environment. Most importantly things do not stick to it! Knowing these things about it, can you think what some of the uses of Teflon are?

Teflon is used to coat all kinds of equipment and cords. Teflon has also played an important role in the space program. But, most of us know Teflon from our home kitchens where it is used as a coating on cookware, and lets us fry up bacon or cook other food without a sticky mess – yum!