PTFE Felt vs. Traditional Felts: What Makes It Superior?

Felt is a type of fabric that is made by matting, condensing, and pressing fibres together. Traditionally, it is made of wool or animal fur, and it's also now possible to make felt with other synthetic fibers. It is used in India to make blankets.

Properties of Felt

Here are the key properties of felt. Let's take a quick look-

1. Absorbency and water resistance: Felt can absorb moisture and offer water resistance depending on the fibre.

2. Environmentally friendly: Some felts, which are made from wool and wood, are made from a renewable source of energy, so they are eco-friendly, unlike other synthetic felts.

3. Durability: As felts are made from interlocking fibres rather than stitching or weaving, they can withstand wear and tear without changing their shape.

4. Flame retardancy: Due to its self-extinguishing nature, it can withstand high temperatures.

   
   

PTFE Felt

PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) felt is a substance made of PTFE fibres that are not interlocked; instead, they are arranged in a three-dimensional structure, often called  "Teflon".

Traditional Felt

Traditional Felt is often made from animal or wool fur by pressing textile fibres together. This process includes heat, moisture, and pressure to interlock the fibres, forming a dense and durable material.

Advantages Of PTFE Felt Over Traditional Felt

Here are some key advantages of PTFE over traditional, let's have a quick look -

1. Non-sticky property - PTFE Felt, due to its non-sticky property, doesn't let particles adhere, which makes cleaning effortless.

2. Chemical resistance - PTFE Felt is mostly inert to various gases, acids, solvents, and chemicals.

3. High temperature tolerance - It can withstand a wide range of temperatures, from -200°C to 260°C (or even higher). This makes it suitable for high-temperature filtration, insulation, and other applications where traditional felt would fail due to thermal degradation.

4.  Better filtration efficiency - The larger surface area increases airflow and air filtration efficiency.

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Conclusion

Traditional felt is used more for general application, whereas PTFE felt is used more for industrial purposes for its chemical resistance, high-temperature tolerance, low maintenance properties and eco-friendly nature.