What is fluoroplastic tube? Explaining its features and uses

Fluoroplastic tubes are products made by molding fluoroplastic (PTFE, PFA, etc.) into a tube shape.
Since it can be processed into various shapes in addition to straight tubes, it can be used in a wide range of industrial fields.

This article explains the features and how to use fluoroplastic tubes.

What is fluoroplastic tube?

Fluoroplastic, which is used in fluoroplastic tubes, is a general term for plastic materials that contain fluorine atoms.
There are nine representative resins, including PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) and PFA (perfluoroalkoxyalkane), and these plastics simultaneously have excellent properties such as heat resistance, lowest friction, non-stick characteristics, chemical resistance, Insulation, and Weatherability.

Fluoroplastic are widely known as "Teflon™", but "Teflon™" is actually the product name of fluoroplastic manufactured by Chemours.

Fluoroplastic tubes are products made by molding this fluoroplastic into a tube shape.
Fluoroplastic tubes come in a wide variety of dimensions and specifications, including standard straight types, multi-lumen tubes, heat-shrinkable tubes, and bent products, and are used in a wide range of industrial fields.

Characteristics of fluoroplastic tubes

・ Non-stick characteristics

Most substances have non-stick properties.
This property is also known as releasing ability, and even if it does stick, it has the ability to be easily peeled off.

・ Lowest friction

PTFE has the lowest coefficient of friction of any solid.
Because frictional resistance is extremely small, the inside of the tube is slippery, making it easy to fill with drinks or dressings.

・ Heat resistance

It has top-class heat resistance and Low temperature resistance among plastics.
It can be used over a wide range of temperatures, from low to high.

・Eelectric insulation

It has the highest level of electric insulation of any plastic.
Therefore, it can also be used for covering communication cables and power cables.

・ Chemical resistance

It has a stable molecular structure and is inert to most chemicals and solvents.
Therefore, even when it comes into contact with strong acids or strong alkalis, few impurities are eluted, making it suitable for use in chemical liquid transfer and semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

Main applications of fluoroplastic tubes

When filling bottles with drinks, dressings, etc., the material needs to have good slip properties and releasing ability to allow for good lowest friction and to prevent clogging.
Therefore, by using Chukoh Kasei's fluoroplastic tubes, you can prevent liquid residue and dirt from adhering due to their excellent lowest friction and releasing ability, which also makes cleaning easier.

In addition, taking advantage of the properties of fluoroplastic such as its lowest friction and non-stick characteristics it is used in a variety of applications, such as components for endoscopes and catheters, inner layers for automobile control cables, and for transporting liquid medicines and fuel.

fluoroplastic tube types and processing examples

Chukoh Kasei's fluoroplastic tubes include PTFE tubes and PFA tubes. These fluoroplastic tubes can also be processed into various shapes. Chukoh Kasei handles the following fluoroplastic tubes. We can also make suggestions for specific applications, so please feel free to contact us.

PTFE tube

■ PTFE tube [TUF-100]

Thin-walled straight tube made by extruding PTFE. Excellent chemical resistance, used in a wide range of industrial fields. UL certified products (UL File No. E71017), AWG sizes*, and colored tubes (made to order: black, white, red, blue, green, yellow, orange, gray) are also available, so please contact us separately if you are interested.
*AWG is the American wire gauge standard.

製品詳細：https://www.chukoh.com/products/tube/ptfe/

PFA tube

■ PFA tube [TUF-200]

Highly transparent tubes made by melt extrusion of fluoroplastic PFA. EN products are available as general-purpose resin grades, and ES products are available as semiconductor-grade resin grades. ES products are high-purity PFA tubes that have excellent smoothness on the inner surface and suppress ion elution, especially for use in semiconductor manufacturing equipment. The transparent color of the tube makes it easy to check the fluid.

製品詳細：https://www.chukoh.com/products/tube/pfa/

Profiled extrusion/multi-lumen tube

■ Special shaped extrusion/multi-lumen tube

We can mold long products in various shapes using our unique extrusion molding method. Free shape design is possible while retaining the properties of fluoroplastic, such as lowest friction, chemical resistance, and heat resistance. We perform integrated in-house production from planning to manufacturing.

製品詳細：https://www.chukoh.com/products/tube/multi-lumen/

Heat shrink tubing

■ Heat shrink tubing

By inserting the substrate into the tube and shrinking it with heat, the properties of fluoroplastic can be imparted to the surface of the substrate. We also accept coating applications, so please contact us separately if you are interested.

製品詳細：https://www.chukoh.com/products/tube/ptfe-heatshrink/

We can also process into shapes to suit your needs, such as FEP tubes, thin-walled tubes as thin as the lead of a mechanical pencil, spiral snake hoses, and three-dimensional bending and welding of various types of tubes.
We also carry PTFE porous tubes, which are softer than PTFE tubes and have air permeability and moisture permeability due to their fine pores, while also having waterproof and water-repellent properties, so please feel free to contact us.

Summary

We introduced fluoroplastic tube we manufacture.

Fluoroplastic have a wide range of properties, and by utilizing these properties they are used widely in many industries, including food, chemicals, semiconductors, liquid crystal, scientific equipment, and medicine, supporting modern industry.
It is rare for one plastic to have so many properties, and it is sometimes called "the last resort resin."
Therefore, tubes that use this fluoroplastic are products that can solve a variety of issues and problems for our customers.
We offer fluoroplastic tubes that are recommended for food manufacturing processes, high temperatures, and chemical environments. If you would like to try them out first, or if you would like us to manufacture products that solve your problems or concerns, please feel free to contact us.