The aim of this review is to acquaint the reader with the science and technology of fluoroplastics — a unique group of plastics, including PTFE, FEP, PFA, MFA, ETFE, PVF, PVDF, and other compounds used in many diverse industries, such as automotive, aerospace, wire and cable insulation, oil and gas recovery, and semiconductor manufacture. The scope of the review includes basic chemistry, properties, processing methods and equipment, applications, recent developments and trends. This reference tool contains 443 abstracts from Rapra's Polymer Library database.

From the Introduction: “Fluoroplastics are defined as a family of thermoplastic resins analogous to polyethylene (PE) in which some or all of the hydrogen atoms attached to the carbon chain are replaced by fluorine or fluorinated alkyd groups. In some cases, other halogens such as chlorine are also part of the molecule. The best known fluoroplastic is polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), a tough, flexible, crystalline polymer that retains its properties over a wide range of temperatures. PTFE exhibits a solvent and chemical resistance, which is the best of all the thermoplastics and has the lowest coefficient of friction of any known solid...”

Rapra Review Reports contain a brief overview of the topic, followed by extensive references, with abstracts, from the Rapra database. They serve as condensed, valuable research tools for scientists, technologists, and other researchers working with rubber or plastics materials.

Target Audience: Any researcher in industry or academia who is interested in fluoropolymers and their applications.

Table of Contents:

Introduction

Basic Chemistry of Fluoroplastics

Structure — Property Correlations

Properties of Individual Commercial Fluoroplastics

Processing of Fluoroplastics

Applications for Commercial Thermoplastics

Current Trends and New Developments

References

Abstracts from the Polymer Library Database

Index