PTFE conversion to powder or liquid or gas

[mortez]

Hi
I have a need to remove a long tube of PTFE even in destructive means
Is there any chemicals or process which could convert physical properties of PTFE into non solid form - ie powder liquid or gas?

 

[moltenmetal]

Liquid sodium.

Very high temperature steam.

 

[Pud]

Be very careful - PTFE degrades to HF and other nasty stuff when heated.

www.tynevalleyplastics.co.uk

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[moltenmetal]

Definitely not for the faint of heart. It is teflon after all- it is chemically resistant to virtually everything.

 

[Compositepro]

You can pyrolize it by heating to over 1000F but the fumes are very toxic they must be exhausted carefully.

 

[mortez]

Thanks for reply

Any one has an experience of cutting PTFE with laser? how deep penetration could be does it produce toxic fume?

 

[moltenmetal]

Yes, the laser will create toxic fumes. The same is true with pyrolysis- all you're changing is the heat source. High temperature steam decomposition will generate mostly tetrafluoroethylene, which itself isn't that toxic, but it will also generate some HF, CO and other molecules depending on the temperature and how much oxygen comes along for the ride with the steam.

Sodium will defluorinate it, and will make it crumble into dust. The resulting compounds aren't toxic, but sodium is dangerous to handle. I'm not sure why the defluorination causes the PTFE material to lose coehsion but it certainly seems to.

 

[jari001]

Consider a thermite flare reaction 2Mg + (C2F4) ⟶ 2MgF2 + 2C, this similar mechanism could be possible with sodium. If you go the sodium route, just be ready for a HIGHLY exothermic reaction.

 

[berkshire]

Bear in mind that PTFE sublimes, it does not melt.
B.E.

You are judged not by what you know, but by what you can do.

 

[MikeHalloran]

Tube dimensions? Length? ID? OD?
Straight or curved?


Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[moltenmetal]

It neither melts nor sublimes- it depolymerizes.

 

[MikeHalloran]

I was thinking that if the tube is large enough and straight, it might be possible to run a trepanning cutter through to remove most of it mechanically.





Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[berkshire]

Molten metal,
True , but it goes straight from a solid to a gas.
Which is what I was trying to get across.
B.E.

You are judged not by what you know, but by what you can do.