Question

Polytetrafluoroethylene is commercially known as?
(A) Teflon
(B) Freon
(C) Lewisite
(D) Westron

Answer 1

Hint: In the above question, it is asked about the commercial name of polytetrafluoroethylene which is also abbreviated as PTFE. PTFE is used mainly in cookware. A polymer starting with the word poly indicates the next sub-part of the word is the monomer of the compound. Here, the monomer is tetrafluoroethylene which suggests that it is made up of carbon and fluorine. So, we have to find the compound which is a mixture of carbon and fluorine to get the correct option.

Complete step by step solution
Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), as the name suggests, is a polymer of tetrafluoroethylene. It is a strong, tough, waxy, non-flammable synthetic resin. It is commercially known as Teflon, Fluon, Hostaflon, and Polyflon. PTFE can be easily recognised by its slippery surface, high melting point, and resistance to attack by almost all chemicals. Because of these properties, they are commonly used as the coating on non-stick cookware. It is also used in industrial products which includes bearings, pipe liners, and parts for valves and pumps.
Since, Teflon is the commercial name of polytetrafluoroethylene.
So option A is the correct option.

Additional Information
Tetrafluoroethylene ( $ {{\text{C}}_{\text{2}}}{{\text{F}}_{\text{4}}} $ ) is a colourless, odourless gas which is made by heating chlorodifluoromethane ( $ {\text{CHCl}}{{\text{F}}_{\text{2}}} $ ) in the range of 600–700 $ {\text{^\circ C}} $ .Chlorodifluoromethane in turn is obtained by reacting hydrogen fluoride ( $ {\text{HF}} $ ) with chloroform ( $ {\text{CHC}}{{\text{l}}_{\text{3}}} $ ). Tetrafluoroethylene monomers are polymerised under high pressure in the presence of free-radical initiators.
The fluorine atoms of PTFE surround the carbon chain like a protective sheath, creating a chemically inert and relatively dense molecule with very strong carbon-fluorine bonds. The polymer is inert to most chemicals and hence, used in cooking appliances.

Note
Teflon is not harmful except flu-like symptoms which can be produced from an overheated teflon-coated pan. Hence, if a pan is noticeably burned, it should not be used further otherwise it can be dangerous to health.