FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Teflon is still around thanks mostly to the PFOA Stewardship Program. Because PFOA is no longer a component of Teflon, Teflon proponents say the compound is no longer harmful, and that cooking it is perfectly safe for your health.
Essentially, the only difference lies in the name. PTFE is the shortened name of the chemical polytetrafluoroethylene, and Teflon is the trade name of the same polymer. If you are looking for a highly flexible, non-stick material that is chemical, electrical and thermal resistant, look no further than PTFE.
It is a safe and non-toxic substance when used as intended. PTFE is stable and non-reactive, and does not break down into harmful chemicals when heated to normal cooking temperatures. However, if PTFE is heated to very high temperatures, it can release fumes that may cause flu-like symptoms in humans.
The Main Properties of PTFE Other useful PTFE properties are its high flexural strength, even in low temperatures, high electrical resistance and dielectric strength, resistance to water (owing to fluorine's high electronegativity), and low coefficient of friction. PTFE's density is also very high, at 2200 kg/m3.
The main disadvantage of PTFE is that it does not actually melt when heated and is therefore difficult to process. Very unconventional techniques are needed to mould, extrude and weld this fluoropolymer.
PTFE Sheet is made of a high molecular weight fluoropolymer named Polytetrafluoroethylene, commonly referred to as PTFE. PTFE is a fluorocarbon, meaning it consists wholly of carbon and fluorine bonds and it is non-reactive in part because of the strength of the carbon-fluorine bonds.
Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is a fluoropolymer and is commonly known by its trade name, Teflon®. Unique properties of PTFE include nonreactivity, hydrophobicity, a low coefficient of friction, and good insulating properties. It is most commonly used as a nonstick coating for cookware.
Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is a synthetic fluoropolymer of tetrafluoroethylene. Being hydrophobic, non-wetting, high density and resistant to high temperatures, PTFE is an incredibly versatile material with a wide variety of applications, though it's perhaps best-known for its non-stick properties.
At normal cooking temperatures, PTFE-coated cookware releases various gases and chemicals that present mild to severe toxicity. Only few studies describe the toxicity of PTFE but without solid conclusions. The toxicity and fate of ingested PTFE coatings are also not understood.
The simple answer is that they are the same thing: Teflon™ is a brand name for PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) and is a trademark brand name used by the Du Pont company and its subsidiary companies (Kinetic which first registered the trademark & Chemours which currently owns it).