What Does
Perfluoroalkoxy Alkane (PFA) Mean?
Perfluoroalkoxy alkane (PFA) refers to a group of chemical substances that are fluoropolymers and are composed of tetrafluoroethylene (C2F4) and perfluoroethers (C2F3OR). PFAs have good anti-stick and chemical resistance properties, making them ideal for use as corrosion inhibitor coatings on metallic substrates.
Corrosionpedia Explains Perfluoroalkoxy Alkane (PFA)
Perfluoroalkoxy (PFA) is known to have a wide range of applications in the chemical processing industry, particularly because it is resistant to thermal shock, mechanical shock and elevated temperatures.
Corrosion is a major problem in the chemical processing industry. Sustained high corrosion rates lead to many undesirable outcomes that can affect production rates, the environment and the health and safety of immediate production personnel. Equipment failures, reduced efficiency, and high operating costs and emissions are also negative byproducts of corrosion in such environments. Therefore, PFA has a significant corrosion resistance benefit throughout the wide range of temperatures that are typically found in chemical processing plants.
PFA is very economical when compared to other preventative metals or alloys.
Key properties of PFAs:
- Transparent or clear in appearance so it can be applied to any color-coded surface
- Low dielectric constant (insulating)
- Chemically inert in terms of reactivity
- Very low coefficient of friction
- UV resistant
- Hydrophobic in nature
- Wide working temperature range from -200°C to +260°C (-328°F to 500°F)