zoom_in Click to enlarge

Roy Plunkett

▲ ▼

description Roy Plunkett Overview

Roy Plunkett was an American chemist who discovered polytetrafluoroethylene, or PTFE, while working for DuPont in 1938. The material was found unexpectedly during research involving refrigerant gases and was later marketed under the Teflon trademark. PTFE is distinguished by its low friction, chemical resistance, and thermal stability, properties useful in industrial components, electrical insulation, and coatings.

help Roy Plunkett FAQ

What was Roy Plunkett trying to make when he discovered Teflon?

Plunkett was researching new refrigerant gases for DuPont when a cylinder of tetrafluoroethylene unexpectedly stopped releasing gas. On April 6, 1938, he opened the cylinder and found that the gas had polymerized into a white, waxy solid now called PTFE.

Why did the material inside Roy Plunkett's cylinder seem to disappear?

The cylinder still weighed the same, but no gas emerged when its valve was opened. Plunkett and his assistant Jack Rebok cut it open and discovered that the tetrafluoroethylene had become solid polytetrafluoroethylene.

When did PTFE become known commercially as Teflon?

DuPont registered the Teflon trademark in 1945, several years after Plunkett's discovery. PTFE was first valued for its chemical resistance and low friction, with nonstick cookware becoming only one of its later applications.

Did Roy Plunkett receive recognition for discovering PTFE?

Plunkett received the John Scott Medal in 1951 and entered the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1985. He remained at DuPont throughout his career and retired in 1975.