PTFE Sealing Tape is a great way to help prevent leaks in pipes or act as a temporary repair. It works by providing a tight skin or lubricating the threads to prevent galling, seizing and corrosion.
It is available in a variety of colors with different grades and characteristics. White tape is good for standard plumbing applications while yellow tape is designed for gas and oxygen lines.
Chemically Inert
Polytetrafluoroethylene, better known as PTFE, shows high chemical resistance and is non-reactive. This means that it can be used to seal a number of different environments safely, including liquid plumbing and gas ducting applications.
There are a number of types of PTFE tapes available. Some show specific characteristics that make them more suited to particular applications, such as the ability to create a tight-fitting skin around specific types of joints in ducting and piping. This is a good way to help minimise leakage around these joints.
Some PTFE tapes also have oil- and petrol-resistant qualities. This is a useful feature for those working in automotive applications, as it can help to prevent the spread of damage caused by fuel or oil leaks. The heat-resistance of PTFE tapes is another important attribute. Some show thermal stability across a wide temperature range of between -200°C and +260°C, making them suitable for use in a variety of environments.
High Temperature Resistance
PTFE tape can be used to coat the threads of plumbing components and create a tighter seal. The lubrication also helps with low friction when unscrewing them in the future. PTFE is chemically inert so it won't react with any liquids or gases.
Several types of PTFE tape are available. One of the most common is calendared PTFE tape that is made by using heat and pressure rollers to mold it into a sheet or film. It comes in a variety of colors such as yellow for natural gas and green for oxygen to match the color coded pipe systems.
Another type of PTFE tape is skived PTFE that is thin and flexible. It has 300% elongation making it easy to mask and conform around corners. It is also very insulating and works great for high temperature wire harnesses, coils and capacitors. It's commonly used as an insulator and is sold in a thicker gauge than calendared PTFE.
Low Friction
PTFE is made of a group of molecules that are encapsulated by fluorine. This protects the carbon atoms, keeping them from bonding with other substances. Therefore, it has extremely low friction rates and is inert to most chemicals.
This low coefficient of friction helps PTFE tapes resist the build-up of sticky materials on machines or parts. The slick surface of PTFE is able to resist high pressures and temperature changes.
High Pressure Resistance
PTFE is made on a large scale to meet the demand for the material in industries all over the world. It has a few unique qualities that make it highly demanded. It is hydrophobic, non reactive to chemicals and has very low friction rates confirmed in solids.
PTFE tape is used to coat threads of plumbing components to create a stronger seal that can prevent leaks. It is also used as a lubricant to reduce the amount of wear on parts that rub together.
PTFE thread seal tape is thicker than standard teflon tapes and shows better resistance to high temperatures. This makes it the best choice for use in applications with high temperature environments or where corrosive materials are present. PTFE thread seal tape is also suitable for sealing the threaded connections of water, oxygen, gasoline and hydraulic systems. It is available in both a standard and gray tape with nickel pigment added to ensure the best resistance to all chemicals.