What is the Difference Between Hoses and Tubes - PTFE Products in India

The majority of industries like the steel Industry and chemical processing industry have been consistently utilizing pipes made of fluoropolymers and is made of materials like PTFE and PTFE hose for many years for carrying highly reactive or corrosive chemicals. The popularity of these pipes is on the rise because of its properties and it is fast replacing the pipes made of carbon and other metals.

The Properties of PTFE Tubes 

The PTFE tube properties are different from another kind of pipes and it is its unique properties which set it apart from carbon and the metal pipes.

Thermal properties- PTFE tubing can withstand temperatures up to 680 °F for a short duration under cryogenic conditions; PTFE tubes does not change even at high temperatures like 500 degrees Fahrenheit and can withstand cold temperatures down to -320 °F.

Electrical properties- PTFE tubing has great electrical properties as it is a great insulator and a great surface resistivity.

UV resistance and wearability - PTFE tubing has excellent UV resistance and wearability.

Wear and Friction Qualities- PTFE tubing has a relatively slippery and smooth surface, so it also has a great wear and frictional qualities.

PTFE is commonly used as a non-stick coating for pans and different types of modern items of cookware. PTFE can also be used in containers and pipes for handling various types of reactive and corrosive chemicals; this is mainly due to its non-reactive properties. Another way of applying PTFE is using it as a lubricant. If you use it this way, PTFE can drastically reduce the friction within machinery reduces the “wear and tear,” and greatly improves energy consumption.

PFA or PTFE hose is regarded as much superior to PTFE tubes on the basis of flexibility, particularly when it comes to tubing applications. On the other hand, PTFE hose’s capacity to bear life or repetitive folding also called flex life is lower than that of PTFE. PTFE pipes have a far more potent resistant power to heat than PTFE Hose.

PTFE Hose is far more affected by the absorption of water and weathering but is far superior to PTFE when it comes to the property of salt spray resistance. The most notable quality of PTFE tubings over PFA is perhaps its electrical properties. It has the dielectric constant of PTFE and a very similar dissipation factor, yet PFA has a dielectric strength which boasts of the property of having three to four times higher than that of PTFE.

Design and Fabrication of PTFE Tubes

PTFE is Poly Tetra Fluoro Ethylene a polymer that was discovered by Mr.Plunkett at Dupont.

PTFE exists in powdered form and do not melt and flow. When heated to temperatures above 350-degree Celsius PTFE it transforms from solid to the gas phase. Because PTFE does not melt flow it is not possible to injection mold it. PTFE tube can, however, be changed into a molded, ram extruded or paste extruded. PTFE Tubing is manufactured with the help of paste extrusion. It is flexible. It is possible to manufacture PTFE tubing which is as small as 0.3 mm to max 100 mm and wall thickness as small as 0.1 mm to 2 mm. PTFE tubing service temperature varies from -60 to + 260-degree Celsius.

PTFE tubing is popular because of its flexibility because it offers chemical resistance in commercially available polymers and also because of its non-stick quality (in fact it is one of the most slippery substances known.

 Some standard metric sizes of PTFE tubes are as follows  2×4, 4×6, 6×8 & 8×10 while some of the standard metric sizes are as follows 1/16×1/8, 1/8×3/16, 3/16×1/4, 1/4×5/16, 3/8×1/2″.

Small sizes of PTFE tubing are used for Chromatography, spectrometer & Titrators while larges sizes are utilized for sampling lines, pneumatic supply and as electrical, heat or chemical insulation. The pressure rating of PTFE tubing depends a lot on the IDxOD of the tubing.

PTFE tubing is fitted to equipment and machines that use compression fittings such as connector and adapters. It is important that the dimension of ID & OD of the PTFE tubing be very tight so there is no leakage at the end fitting. The fittings are manufactured in various materials such as stainless steel grades SS304 or SS316 and also using PTFE material. PTFE fitting is used in conjunction with PTFE tubing in applications where metal fittings are not allowed. 

 It’s important to note that leakages happen because of incorrect cutting of the PTFE tubing before it is inserted in the fitting by PTFE tubing manufacturers. One needs special cutters for a straight cut.

PTFE tubing is manufactured in continuous lengths, which ranges from 25-250 meters or more depending on the IDxOD of the PTFE tubing. PTFE tubing is also a part of coils or wound on plastic or wooden spools.

PTFE tubing has a milky opaque or milky translucent appearance and this appearance depends on the type of PTFE raw material that is used for the manufacturing use. PTFE tubing can also be manufactured in varied colors such as red, black, blue, green, yellow. In addition, PTFE tubing comes with a color stripe for identification.

PTFE tubing is flexible and you can easily bend it.  Care should be taken however to ensure the bend radius is not in any way less than the bend radius kept separately for the IDxOD of the PTFE tubing.

Why is PTFE Tube Regarded as a Versatile Pipe? Chief PTFE Properties

Polytetrafluoroethylene or more commonly known as PTFE is a synthetic fluoropolymer made up of of tetrafluoroethylene.  

It is hydrophobic, high density, non-wetting, and is of high temperatures, PTFE tube is what you can call a versatile material as it is used for a number of applications, though it is more popular for its non-stick properties.

 

 The Chief Properties of PTFE

The teflon hose is a flexible, thermal resistant, chemical resistant, non-stick and also electrically resistant material with its melting point being around 327°C, and pure PTFE has high flexural strength, even in very low temperatures, high dielectric strength, and electrical strength. Potentially high resistance to water and fairly low coefficient of friction. PTFE’s density ranges from the 2200 kg/m3 mark.

The only con is that it may have a reaction to chemical agents and solvents such as chlorine trifluoride, xenon difluoride, cobalt (III) fluoride, or elementary fluorine if put through under high pressure and temperature conditions. PTFE also does not have a good resistance to high energy radiation, which forces the breakdown of PTFE molecules.

A Few Modified Features of PTFE

Apart from PTFE there are other two copolymers which has different properties.

PFA or Perfluoroalkoxy is similar to PTFE because of its properties as it is flexible, very chemically resistant also thermally stable and can be used up to 260 degrees C even if PTFE has the properties of being able to creep, PFA is creep resistant and is used for a number of properties such as extrusion, melt-processing, injection moulding, transfer moulding, compression moulding and blow moulding.

TFM, better known as PTFE-TFM, is polytetrafluoroethylene with perfluoropropylvinylether taken as an additional modifier, boasting of a material which is stiff being creep-resistant like PFA, and weldable.

Advantages of PTFE

There is no doubt about the fact that PTFE is indeed very versatile and has a huge number of applications to speak of. 

It is an integral part of manufacturing and engineering industries, it is not limited to using in tubes or liners or for handling or storing corrosive chemicals, but it is also used in parts such as bearings or screws to increase the lifespan of the parts and also the machinery it is part of.

The longer lasting, higher-performance parts ensure that it enhances the efficiency of any machine it is part of, thus reducing the requirement of constantly replacing parts, which leads to saving money and reducing waste. Hence it will cut down on constant maintenance issues with the equipment which will lead to the reduction of any expensive manufacturing downtime due to the repairs and faults.

PTFE coat is a type of material that is non-wetting, and enables self-cleaning which helps reduce the cost of frequent cleaning.

 Teflon textile finishes are environment-friendly because the finish repels water and oil stains, and reduce the requirement of dry-cleaning and fabrics will also tend to dry up quickly, using far less energy with methods as tumble drying, and with the reduction of wear, it also tends to last longer.