1938
Plunkett cylinder
Frozen TFE polymerised spontaneously in a DuPont cylinder.
PTFE did not arrive as a finished commodity. DuPont 1938 Plunkett around United States still explains who makes it and which tests it sits in.
Ten dated points, five eras and three milestones below are the spine — not a complete industrial history.
Where it began
DuPont 1938 PlunkettUnited States
Timeline
1938Plunkett cylinder
Frozen TFE polymerised spontaneously in a DuPont cylinder.
1940sManhattan seals
UF6-resistant gaskets.
1945Teflon trademark
Civilian brand after the war.
1960sGreen pan lore
Consumer non-stick; overheating warnings later.
1969Gore-Tex ePTFE
Bob Gore expanded PTFE into breathable membranes.
1970sThread seal tape
Plumber’s PTFE tape.
1990sPFOA debate
Processing aids, not the polymer backbone, drove much regulation.
2000sGenX / alternatives
Fluorochemical aid substitutions.
2010sMedical ePTFE
Grafts and patches.
2020sPFAS umbrella
PTFE sits inside a wider policy fight.
The eras
1945
Teflon trademark
Civilian brand after the war.
1969
Gore-Tex ePTFE
Bob Gore expanded PTFE into breathable membranes.
1990s
PFOA debate
Processing aids, not the polymer backbone, drove much regulation.
2010s
Medical ePTFE
Grafts and patches.
Milestones
Green pan lore
1960sConsumer non-stick; overheating warnings later.
PFOA debate
1990sProcessing aids, not the polymer backbone, drove much regulation.
PFAS umbrella
2020sPTFE sits inside a wider policy fight.
Knowing this timeline is how to read a mill certificate without treating PTFE as timeless.
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