PTFE
Coating

Plastic Coatings’ high performance PTFE coatings department applies technical coatings that contain materials such as PTFE or polytetrafluoroethylene, FEP or fluorinated ethylene propylene copolymer, molybdenum and graphite. These materials are normally applied to components where a non-stick, dry lubricant, low friction or release property is required.

PTFE coatings are often known by their familiar or trade names (Teflon®, Xylan®, fluoroplastic, fluoropolymer or fluorocarbon coating) and they take the form of a liquid paint which is sprayed onto a substrate (metals, rubbers, plastics) that needs to be enhanced.

The liquid coating contains varying proportions of the technical materials, resins and other ingredients; exactly what is contained in each of the different coatings’ material recipes depends upon the desired coating film performance. Often it is not just the non-stick or low friction type of performance that is required, there will be a need for corrosion resistance, chemical resistance, humidity resistance, high and low temperature resistance and even colour coding for identification.

To apply a coating, the customer’s products/components are usually prepared by degreasing and grit blasting prior to being wet sprayed with the coating material. The resulting coating is then cured to a precise schedule in a properly ventilated industrial oven. The result is a high performance dry film coating with a thickness in the region of 15 microns to 35 microns depending upon the number of coats.

Customers may specify a grade to be non-stick for use in cookware or bakeware or for a food mould. Similar coatings are used in the moulding industries and in the oil and gas industry for release agents in mould tools.

Dry lubricants are often used in automotive or aerospace and defence for under bonnet/engine components, seat components and moving parts to eliminate the need for lubrication and servicing. Low friction coatings are often used where two or more parts need to slide smoothly together or within one another.

There are many material formulations within the range, some with quite specialised applications. Plastic Coatings is uniquely positioned in the supply chain and has excellent relations with the material manufacturers; this enables us to support formulation developments to suit specific requirements where a solution to a large project does not yet exist.