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PTFE Resin Powder: Tetrafluoroethylene Polymerised under Pressure, Plunkett 1941
PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) is the chemically inert plastic. Roy Plunkett found that tetrafluoroethylene, kept under pressure at room temperature, slowly turns into a white solid (US 2,230,654, 1941). A little silver nitrate speeds it up: 7 parts of the gas with 0.1 part silver nitrate at 25 °C for 21 days gave 2.3 parts of polymer. The powder dissolves in nothing usual, does not burn on its own, and melts only at red heat.
The picture: our diagram.
Advanced
3 weeks
Instructions
1
1
Charge the cylinder
Charge the cylinder
Put 0.1 part of silver nitrate in a steel pressure cylinder, close it and condense in 7 parts of tetrafluoroethylene, so it stands under its own pressure.
Materials for this step:
Tetrafluoroethylene7 partsTools needed:
Silver Nitrate
Pressure Gas Cylinder
Cold Trap
Balance Scale
Chemical Splash Goggles
Rubber Gloves2
2
Leave at 25 °C for 21 days
Leave at 25 °C for 21 days
Keep the cylinder at 25 °C for 21 days. Warmer is faster. Without the silver nitrate, 10 days gave only about 7 %.
Tools needed:
Pressure Gas Cylinder3
3
Remove the gas, take out the powder
Remove the gas, take out the powder
Let out the unpolymerised tetrafluoroethylene (ours: into a cold trap to use again) and take out the solid polymer: about 2.3 parts, a third of the gas.
Tools needed:
Cold Trap
Fume Hood (Ducted)Rubber GlovesMaterials
1- 7 partsPlaceholder
Tools Required
7- Placeholder
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