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Pancakes are a hot favorite with everyone. Making
pancakes that are just right is
an art in itself and many adventurous first timers have found the
task daunting. The task has been made easy with the introduction of
polytetrafluoroethylene. Quite a mouthful, isn’t it? It is, however,
a very commonly used substance known to us better by its commercial
name, Teflon.
A few characteristics
We do know that Teflon is strong and tough and that in spite of
the high heat used for making the pancakes, it doesn’t
look any worse for wear. A few of its other characteristics are that
it is waxy and non-inflammable, a quality that makes it a good
coating for cookware. |
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Chemically, Teflon
is classified as a resin belonging to the family of organic
polymers. It is characterized by a surprising resilience to most
chemicals. It has a slippery surface and retains all its
characteristics over a wide temperature range. Therefore, if
anyone has told you not to heat your non-stick cooking pan too
much, you can tell him this. The temperature range that it can
withstand is minus 270 degrees C to 250 degrees C, or minus 450
degrees Fahrenheit to 480 degrees Fahrenheit. |
Non-stick cooking pan |
About Polytetrafluoroethylene
As we mentioned earlier, polytetrafluoroethylene belongs to the
family of organic polymers, composed of large molecules formed by
the chemical combination of several smaller molecules. These small
molecules, known as monomers, combine in chains and networks. It is
a polymer made from the monomer tetrafluoroethene. It is a
thermosetting plastic with a high melting point. It is better known
by the abbreviation PTFE and its trade name is Teflon. It is used to
produce non-sticking surfaces on cooking pans, thanks to its
waxiness. It is also used to coat bearings.
Polytetrafluoroethylene
was produced by one Roy J. Plunkett in 1938. It is formed by treating
tetrafluoroethylene with oxygen. The monomer tetrafluoroethene is
formed by heating chlorodifluoromethane at about 600°-750° C (about
1,100°-1,400° F). Certain special techniques have been developed for
molding the chemical thus obtained. Controlled temperatures are
used for binding. It is very important not to overheat, as this may
result in melting.
Chemicals like
tetrafluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene that form during the
process are polymerized to yield a rubbery substance known as Viton.
This product is used extensively for manufacturing sealing devices
like gaskets etc.
Polytetrafluoroethylene
has many other applications too. It is used in the manufacture of
gaskets, bearings, as a lining material for containers and pipes; it
is used for machinery parts where there are chances of corrosion and
also for making saw blades.
Polytetrafluoroethylene
or Teflon is used as a coating for iron boxes, especially steam
irons, to ensure that the iron box does not stick to the upper
surface of the cloth. Its utility in the kitchen has proved so
successful that there is a deluge of teflon cookware in the market. |
