Question

Write chemical reaction to prepare Teflon polymers.

Answer 1

Hint: Teflon or polytetrafluoroethylene is a synthetic fluoropolymer which can be obtained by the process of polymerization of a certain Monomer.
Complete step by step answer:
- Teflon can be prepared by the polymerization of tetrafluoroethylene.
$\text{nC}{{\text{F}}_{\text{2}}}\text{=C}{{\text{F}}_{\text{2}}}\underrightarrow{\text{Polymerisation}}\text{ }\!\![\!\!\text{ -C}{{\text{F}}_{\text{2}}}\text{-C}{{\text{F}}_{\text{2}}}\text{-}{{\text{ }\!\!]\!\!\text{ }}_{\text{n}}}$
- Polymerization is a process in which relatively small molecules called monomers combine chemically to produce a very large chainlike or network molecule, called a polymer
Here the monomer unit used is tetrafluoroethylene.

Additional information:
- Teflon is a fluorocarbon solid, which has a high molecular weight compound consisting of carbon and fluorine.
- It is hydrophobic.
- Teflon has one of the lowest coefficients of friction of any solid.
- It is non reactive because of the strength of carbon-fluorine bonds, and so for because of this quality it is used in containers and pipework for reactive and corrosive chemicals.
- Its major applications are in industry such as it is used for plain bearing, gears, slide plates, seals, gaskets and brushing.
- Teflon can be found in musical instrument lubrication products.
- Due to its high corrosion resistance it is useful in laboratory environments, where it is used for lining containers and tubing for highly corrosive chemicals such as hydrofluoric acid, which will dissolve glass containers.

Note: Never heat the Teflon, when overheated it can release mildly toxic fumes. Also sometimes things made of Teflon get deteriorated.