Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

The use of fluoropolymers for non-stick cooking utensils

  • Focus
  • Published:
Surface Coatings International

Conclusions

The formulation of non-stick coatings for cooking utensils is probably more complicated than had been thought. It has been shown that the addition of copolymers to PTFE greatly improves the properties of the coating.

The problem of having a ‘non-stick’ coating ‘sticking’ to a metal substrate is partly solved by the fluoropolymer stratifying to the coating surface. FEP is the copolymer of choice for adhesion of primers to very smooth surfaces where there is lack of mechanical adhesion.

The abrasion resistance and barrier properties of the coating are enhanced by the addition of PFA due to the better mechanical properties and lower crystallinity of this copolymer.

In the end, non-stick coatings are a complex blend of several fluoropolymers (homopolymer and copolymers), bonding resins and pigments. Fluoropolymers have not been developed essentially for non-stick cooking utensils technology, but today the consumer benefits from the most advanced non-stick technology due to the requirement of industry to search for increasingly improved performance with existing materials.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
€32.70 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price includes VAT (France)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Explore related subjects

Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.

Abbreviations

PTFE:

Polytetrafluoroethylene, homopolymer of tetrafluoroethylene

FEP:

Fluoroethylenepropylene, a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene

PFA:

Perfluoroalkoxy, a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoropropylvinylether

HFP:

Hexafluoropropylene CF2=CFCF3

PPVE:

Perfluoropropylvinylether CF2=CFOC3 F7

FDA:

Food and Drug Administration (USA)

BGA:

Bundesgesundheitamtes (Germany)

HFPO:

Hexafluoropropyleneoxide CF2CFOCF3

Primer:

First coatings layer applied on the substrate to promote adhesion and create the link with top layers

Finishing Coat:

Coatings layer applied on top of the primer

PAI:

Polyamideimide

PPS:

Polyphenylenesulfide

Ra:

Mean roughness average

References

  1. Extract from the note book of Roy Plunkett,52, April 6, 1938.

  2. Britt P, DuPont,Fluorofinishes, unpublished memories.

  3. Cahne A,Method of Coatings a Metal base with PTFE, US Patent 2,944, 917, 1960.

    Google Scholar 

  4. McCane DI,Polytetrafluoroethylene — copolymers with hexafluoroethylene, Encyclopedia of polymer science and technology, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.,13, 654–670, 1970.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Batzar K,Principles of adhesion of fluoropolymer coatings to substrates, XVth International Conference in Organic Coatings Science and Technology, Athens,13–22, 11–14 July 1989.

  6. Eleuterio HS,A climate for polymer innovation, Chemtech,42–46, September 1995.

  7. Eleuterio HS,Fluoropolymers: Past, Present & Future, SiF news, Issue No 2,3–6, April 1996.

  8. PFA: All the Benefits of PTFE — and you can mould it, BP&R,16, September 1986.

  9. Concannon, US Patent,4, 351, 882.

  10. Tannenbaum, US Patent,5, 230, 961.

  11. Schultz J, Carre A and Simon H, Détermination de l’energie de surface de polymères par mouillabilité, Double Liaison,322, 263–268, 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Lehnert RJ, Hendra PJ and Everall N,Crystallinity of PTFE using Raman Spectroscopy, Polymer Communications,36, 12, 2473–2476, 1995.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Kostromina SV, Zubov YA, Shirina NG and Tomashpol’skil YY,A Structural investigation of the sintering of raw PTFE, Polymer Science, USSR,32N 2, 388–394, 1990.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Reardon JP and Zisman WA,Tetrafluoroethylene-perfluore (propylvinylether) copolymers, as water resistant, Thin-film Adhesives, Ind. Eng. Chem. Prod. Res. Develop,13, 2, 119–123, 1974.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Runt J, Jin L, Talibuddin S and Davis CR,Crystalline Homopolymer — Copolymer Blends. Poly (tetrafluoroethylene) — poly (tetrafluoroethylene — co perfluoroalkylvinyl ether), Macromolecules,28, 2781–2786, 1995.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. The Rough with the Smooth (A Tale of Non-Stick Coatings), SiF news,1, 12–13, 1996.

  17. Batzar, US Patent,5, 250, 356.

  18. Heinzel W, Plasma Spray Coating Process — DE3316348.

  19. Suwa T Takehisa M and Machi S,J of Applied Polymer Sciences,17, 3253–3257, 1973.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. DuPont, R & D Laboratory, A. Spinoystraat 6, 2800, Mechelen, Belgium

    P Thomas

Authors
  1. P Thomas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Thomas, P. The use of fluoropolymers for non-stick cooking utensils. Surface Coatings International 81, 604–609 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02693055

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02693055

Keywords