Materials in chemistry

Limescale deposits on chrome-plated or stainless steel fittings, and clouded tiles in the bathroom, are unsightly. In water heaters, in the coffee machine or in pipework, however, they cause problems, …

Think durability and elasticity can’t go hand in hand? Think again. Fluoroelastomers form an entire family of rubbers that meets both demands at once: chemical and thermal resistance alongside elastic …

Polyvinylidene fluoride, or PVDF for short, is a fluorinated polyolefin that became known under the trade name KYNAR®. Since chemists at the US company Pennsalt Corporation first synthesised it in …

The German term “Duroplaste” derives from the Latin “durus”, meaning hard. English uses the name thermosets, which reflects how these plastics set permanently during curing. The international standard ISO 472:2013, …

When hearing the term “halogen,” many people first think of lamps or headlights. However, halogens are found in numerous products we use every day. This article explains what halogens are …

Plastics are ubiquitous, and their diversity is almost impossible to fully capture. Due to their versatility, this indispensable material is used across nearly all industries and sectors: from packaging and …

Since the second phase of the Industrial Revolution in the 1870s, a modern world without rubber has been almost inconceivable. The material is encountered wherever something must be sealed to …

Whether as fluorides for dental prophylaxis, as a fluorine-containing mineral in aluminum production, as the fluoropolymer PTFE, or as a polyfluorinated plastic in pipes as well as in seals, hoses …

Stainless steel is a standard material in chemical processing. With hydrochloric acid and many chloride-containing media, however, it reaches its limits. Manufacturers therefore often line pipes, valves and fittings for …

In the past, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances were grouped under various terms such as per- and polyfluorinated chemicals, perfluorinated organic compounds, or highly fluorinated substances. In polyfluorinated alkyl substances, hydrogen …