Laurence Waino McKeen

Fluorinated Coatings: Technology, History, and Applications

Fluoropolymer coatings are widely used in many industries, although the consumer and many engineers and scientists are only aware of their use as nonstick coatings for cookware. This chapter first provides an introduction to fluoropolymer finish technology and market developments. It is a greatly condensed summary of a previous book by this author. Starting with a summary of the fluoropolymers used in finishes and their properties, an overview of liquid and powder technology follows. This includes processing considerations. Next is a summary of the history of fluoropolymers in finishes. Some guidance on food contact end use requirements follows. The rest of the chapter shows a number of sample end uses. Each end use summarizes what types of coatings were used and what properties of fluorofinishes were required.