The ABCs of PTFE Tape and Film with Rodrigo Costa

People may be most familiar with PTFE tape under its sometimes-moniker, plumber’s tape. But, as Technetics’ product manager Rodrigo Costa explained on Getting Technetical, there are many different uses and applications for PTFE tapes and films.

“PTFE tapes are interesting because of its chemical inertness, so it is resistant to any solvent,” Costa said. “it’s nontoxic, and it has a broad temperature range, workable with temperatures up to 160 degrees Celsius.”

Unsintered tapes can be used as a wiring cable insulator to prevent breakdowns and sparks. Technetics can customize and color the tapes to meet a customer’s specifications. Engineered PTFE tape uses special additives to enhance specific properties.

Costa said Technetics often changes the properties of these tapes and films to meet a customer’s need for better wear resistance or thermo-conductivity.

“The main application for our PTFE tapes is wire and cable,” Costa said. “Other interesting applications are bearings or bushings. The films are applied to metal substrates and formed into bushings.”

Some compression packing applications use a PTFE film turned into yarn. It’s the high temperature of operation that makes PTFE so desirable for wiring and sealing applications.