Teflon research, 1940s C018 / 0647

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Teflon research, 1940s C018 / 0647

Teflon research. Laboratory technician carrying out a test to compare Teflon with another plastic. She has dipped rods of the two plastics in a boiling bath of hot sulphuric acid. One rod (left) has charred and deteriorated. The other, a rod of Teflon (polytetrafluoroethylene, right), is not affected by the highly corrosive hot acid. Teflon resists the most corrosive acids and solvents to a degree unequalled by any other plastic. It is not attacked even by aqua regia, which dissolves gold and platinum. Teflon was discovered in 1938 by DuPont researchers. Photographed at the DuPont site in Richmond, Virginia, USA, in around the 1940s

Science Photo Library features Science and Medical images including photos and illustrations

Media ID 9237097

© HAGLEY ARCHIVE / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

1900s 1940s Acid Boiling Chemist Corroded Corrosion Dupont Company Experiment Materials Science North American Researcher Resistance Resistant Sample Scientist Sulphuric Acid Technician Virginia Corrosive Laboratory Richmond Teflon

EDITORS COMMENTS
This print captures a significant moment in the history of materials science. Taken at the DuPont site in Richmond, Virginia during the 1940s, it showcases a laboratory technician conducting an experiment to compare Teflon with another plastic. In this intriguing image, we see the technician immersed two rods - one made of Teflon (polytetrafluoroethylene) and the other composed of a different plastic - into a boiling bath of hot sulphuric acid. The astonishing result is evident as one rod on the left has charred and deteriorated under the highly corrosive acid, while the Teflon rod on the right remains completely unaffected. Teflon's resistance to even aqua regia, which dissolves gold and platinum, sets it apart from any other plastic known at that time. This groundbreaking discovery was made by DuPont researchers in 1938 and revolutionized various industries that required corrosion-resistant materials. The photograph not only highlights scientific research but also pays tribute to women's contributions in this field. The female chemist depicted here represents countless unsung heroes who played vital roles in advancing scientific knowledge throughout history. As we gaze upon this monochromatic snapshot frozen in time, we are reminded of how far we have come since those early days of Teflon research. It serves as a testament to human ingenuity and our relentless pursuit of innovation for creating materials that withstand even nature's most formidable challenges.

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