PTFE, often called Teflon in everyday project language, is valued for its very low friction and excellent chemical resistance. It is often the right answer when a part interacts with fluids, sealing systems, or environments that would quickly challenge many other plastics.
The tradeoff is that PTFE is softer and less structurally rigid than engineering plastics like POM, nylon, or PEEK. That means the geometry must be designed for the real service condition rather than assuming every plastic behaves the same way under load.
PTFE's coefficient of friction is among the lowest of any solid material (~0.05–0.10), and it is essentially chemically inert — resisting attack from almost all industrial chemicals, solvents, and acids up to ~260 °C. These properties make it uniquely suited to seal and gasket applications where the alternative is a much more expensive metal or ceramic component. The two main limitations are creep (cold flow under sustained load) and poor wear resistance unless filled with glass, carbon, or bronze.
