TeflonCan we do better?

Sachin Amrute, Kateryna Christian, Husain Danish, Karina DeMair, Patrick Gorman, Christopher HollydayJoshua Israel, Allen Lin, Vrajesh Modi, Justin Petrillo, Steven Schwartz

T2 Advisors: Dr. Gloria Anderle and Dr. Michael AvaltroniAssistant: Jeremy Tang

1938: Dupont Research Labs1938: Dupont Research Labs

• Dr. Roy Plunkett accidentally discovers Teflon.

• A.K.A. PTFE - Polytetrafluoroethylene

Uses of Teflon

Benefits of TeflonBenefits of Teflon

• Non-stick, hydrophobic (water-repellant) surface

• Efficiently, commercially manufactured

• Chemically inert• Extremely versatile; can be used

in numerous applications

Problems with TeflonProblems with Teflon

• Only forms physical bonds

• Wears away over time

• Is a Carcinogen

Our Alternative: ODPAOur Alternative: ODPA

• Chemically bonded• Stays on indefinitely• Environmentally friendly (non-

carcinogenic)

•Self-assembled monolayer (SAM)

Octadecylphosphonic Octadecylphosphonic AcidAcid

Hydrophobic End

Bonding End• ODPA is an

excellent substitute for Teflon

• Has all of benefits and none of the drawbacks.

Our GoalOur Goal

•Develop a viable Teflon substitute (ODPA)

•Improve efficiency of application of ODPA to an oxide surface

Physical vs. Chemical Bonding

• Physical bond:– Electrostatic attraction to surface– Can be removed

• Chemical bond: – Actual covalent bond to surface– Cannot be removed

Bonding of ODPA to Oxide Surface

OH

Glass

OH

Glass

P

HO OH

O

P

HO OH

O

R R

n n

O OO O

Glass

PO

PO

R R

n n

120 °C

18 hours

PHO

HOO

Rn

OO

O

OHO

What is Contact Angle?What is Contact Angle?Highly

Hydrophilic:

Highly Hydrophobic:

Our goalOur goal

Measuring Contact Angle

Large contact angle we observedContact Angle Goniometer

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“The GoldGold Standard”

• T-BAG (Tethering by Aggregation and Growth)– Substrate immersed in ODPA

solution– Evaporate for 24 hrs

• Oven for dehydration– 48 hrs at 120 degrees C

• What’s the problem? It takes too long

Alternate Coating Methods

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Spray

PipetMayer Rod

Drain

Acid Pre-TreatmentAcid Pre-Treatment• Hypothesized that it might

corrode the surface• Increases number of ODPA

bonding sites

www.elmhurst.edu

Dehydration MethodsDehydration Methods

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Microwave Infrared Ultraviolet

Heat GunIron

Contact Angle vs. Dehydrating Methods: Drain (15 min)

0.0

20.0

40.0

60.0

80.0

100.0

120.0

IR – 10 min IR – 20 min UV – 20 min Heat gun – 10min

Heat gun – 20min

Iron – 5 min

Dehydrating Method

Co

nta

ct A

ng

leOur Results Say…

Average Contact Angle: Mayer Rod

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

80.0

90.0

Oven IR (IR)2x Heatgun

Dehydration Method

Co

nta

ct A

ng

le

Untreated

Acid

Ethanol

Inconsistency of Coating Before and After Soaking

0.00

2.00

4.00

6.00

8.00

10.00

12.00

14.00

(IR – 10 min)2x (IR – 10 min)2x Ethanol, (IR – 10 min)2x

Dehydration Method

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nd

ard

De

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tio

n

Before

After

Discussion/Conclusions

• Application method– Drain, Drop, Mayer Rod

• Chemical bonding method – Iron• Pre-treatments inconsistent• Multiple repetitions good• Sample size and consistency

• Continue work with ODPA to coat glass, plastics, and metals (e.g. Ti replacements)

• Try fluoronating the phosphonic acid

• Used VMD (Visual Molecular Dynamics) to simulate SAMs

What’s in Store for the Future?

Our results offered potential promise as an industrially plausible replacement for

Teflon, with low toxicity and high hydrophobicity.

The Bottom Line…The Bottom Line…

Works Cited• www.fibraplex.com • profile.myspace.com • www.discountedwheelwarehouse.

com • www.runnertime.com • www.labconco.com • www.senorcafe.com • shop.pcgenerations.com • www.sofia.usra.edu • www.natequipment.com • www.burningmonk.com • www.thesavvytraveller.com • www.smecc.org • www.enlightenedgifts.org • www.laboratory-supply.com • profile.myspace.com• capecodtravel.com • www.zeolite.ca • www.nationalgeographic.com • www.elizabethan-era.org.uk • www.easyseo.com • www.csiministorage.com • profile.myspace.com • www.wallpaperbase.com

• www.nottinghillhousing.org.uk • www.env.gov.bc.ca • www.wirelessedge.co.uk

We’d like to thank…

NJGSS

Dr. David Miyamoto

Dr. Paul Quinn

Dr. Michael Avaltroni

Dr. Gloria Anderle

Mr. and Mrs. John Overdeck

Jeremy

TangAnd who can forget..