Teflon® FEP: fluoropolymer and FEP film coatings and treatments

The advantages of FEP coatings

FEP, like PTFE, Teflon or FEP film, belongs to the fluoropolymer family. Its chemical formula is fluorinated ethylene propylene, abbreviated as FEP.

As with the other two polymers, PTFE and PFA, also known as Teflon treatments, FEP coatings improve the non-stick, sliding properties and chemical resistance of the base material. In FEP film coatings, the material is applied after mechanical and/or chemical pre-treatment. Thickening then takes place via sintering. FEP film-based coatings carry extraordinary heat resistance. In fact, they can also be used where continuous temperatures of 200°C are reached.

What differentiates FEP film from other fluoropolymers

FEP is more malleable than PTFE or Teflon, and is transparent and resistant to sunlight. Unlike PTFE or Teflon, FEP is a thermoplastic, so it melts during firing, generating a coating with a non-porous surface. In specific uses, FEP film coating is preferred to PTFE coating for its lower porosity, because it leads to a smoother surface.

Uses of FEP film coatings

FEP is used as a non-stick coating in many plants/machines in the food industry, such as containers, kneading rollers, screw conveyors, baking trays, hoppers, moulds in processing adhesive substances, etc.

These FEP fluoropolymer coatings are used in the TempCoat® system. Argos carries out FEP film coating processes for third parties, with certification in compliance with the UNI EN ISO 9001:2015 standard.