PTFE sheet has excellent resistance to the majority of chemicals and solvents and is capable of operating at high and low temperatures.It also has a very low coefficient of friction and is commonly used in food contact applications.It provides good thermal stability and has good electrical properties but is not suitable for wear application and is difficult to bond.It is non toxic and has high chemical resistance and dielectric properties.It is available in different sizes depending on customer request.
Chemically inert across the full pH 0–14 range
Continuous service −180°C to +260°C
Low-friction, non-stick surface — cuts cleanly into gaskets and liners
Food/FDA-grade sheet available for product-contact use
PTFE sheet is the flat-stock form of polytetrafluoroethylene — the same chemically inert, low-friction polymer as PTFE rod, supplied as sheet so it can be cut into gaskets, linings, slide pads and machined flat components. Where a gasket or lining has to survive a chemical that destroys rubber and corrodes metal, PTFE sheet is usually the answer.
Al-Hamd Traders supplies PTFE sheet from 0.5 mm up to 50 mm thick, in virgin and reprocessed grades, with food/FDA-grade white sheet available for product-contact applications. Sheet is skived from a moulded billet (thin gauges) or compression-moulded and machined (thick gauges) — the two routes give slightly different surface finish and tolerance, which is worth knowing when you specify.
PTFE sheet is chemically inert across pH 0–14, operates continuously from about −180°C to +260°C, and has the lowest coefficient of friction of any solid. Its trade-offs are mechanical: it is soft, it creeps (cold-flows) under sustained bolt load, and it is difficult to bond without surface etching. This page covers the properties, sizes, chemical resistance, how PTFE sheet compares with the other gasket sheets we supply, and how to specify it so it does not creep out of a joint.
Specifications
Typical properties of virgin (unfilled) PTFE. Values are the range published across recognised PTFE datasheets — filled grades (glass, carbon, bronze) and section thickness will shift some figures.
Property
Value
Test Standard
Material
Virgin (unfilled) PTFE, 100%
ASTM D4894
Form
Skived or moulded sheet
—
Density
2.14 – 2.19 g/cm³
ISO 13000-2
Colour
White (natural)
—
Thickness Range
0.5 mm – 50 mm
—
Standard Sheet Size
1000 × 1000 mm (typical); 1200 × 1200 mm to order
—
Tensile Strength
20 – 35 MPa
ASTM D4894 / ISO 12086
Elongation at Break
300 – 400%
ISO 13000-2
Hardness
Shore D 50 – 65
ASTM D2240
Coefficient of Friction
0.05 – 0.10 (lowest of any solid)
ASTM D1894
Water Absorption
< 0.01% (effectively nil)
ASTM D570
Continuous Service Temperature
−180°C to +260°C
—
Melting Point
327°C
ASTM D3418
Thermal Conductivity
0.24 – 0.25 W/m·K
ASTM C177
Coefficient of Thermal Expansion
~100 – 160 × 10⁻⁶ /°C
ASTM D696
Chemical Resistance
pH 0 – 14 (inert)
—
Dielectric Strength
~60 kV/mm (thin film); lower in thick section
IEC 60243-1
Volume Resistivity
> 10¹⁸ Ω·cm
DIN 53482
Oxygen Index (LOI)
95% (will not sustain a flame)
ASTM D2863
Flammability Rating
UL94 V-0
UL 94
Properties in Detail
Mechanical Properties
Tensile Strength
20 – 35 MPa
Elongation at Break
300 – 400%
Hardness
Shore D 50 – 65
Coefficient of Friction
0.05 – 0.10
Creep / Cold Flow
Significant under sustained load — design for it
Bondability
Poor without chemical etching of the surface
Thermal Properties
Continuous Service Range
−180°C to +260°C
Melting Point
327°C
Thermal Conductivity
0.24 – 0.25 W/m·K
Thermal Expansion (CLTE)
~100 – 160 × 10⁻⁶ /°C
Flammability
UL94 V-0, LOI 95%
Chemical & Electrical
pH Range
0 – 14 (inert)
Water Absorption
< 0.01%
Volume Resistivity
> 10¹⁸ Ω·cm
Dielectric Constant
2.1 (stable across frequency)
Food Contact
Food/FDA-grade sheet available
Manufacturing
Skived sheet is shaved in a continuous layer off a rotating moulded billet, much like peeling a roll of veneer. It is the standard route for thinner gauges (roughly 0.5 mm to 6 mm), gives a consistent thickness across the sheet, and is what most gasket-cutting stock is.
Moulded sheet is compression-moulded from PTFE powder and sintered, then machined flat. It is used for thicker sections (roughly 6 mm and up), where skiving is impractical, and gives a denser, more dimensionally stable slab suitable for machining into flat components and wear plates.
Both routes start from the same virgin PTFE resin, so chemical and thermal properties are identical. The practical difference is finish and thickness tolerance — tell us the gauge and what you are cutting, and we will supply the appropriate stock.
Thickness & Sheet Sizes
Standard PTFE sheet stock. Weight is calculated at a density of 2.16 g/cm³ for a 1000 × 1000 mm sheet — PTFE is sold by weight, so this is what determines the price.
Thickness
Sheet Size
Weight (1m × 1m)
Typical Use
0.5 mm
1000 × 1000 mm
1.08 kg
Thin gasket / liner / slip layer
1 mm
1000 × 1000 mm
2.16 kg
Gaskets, envelope gaskets
1.5 mm
1000 × 1000 mm
3.24 kg
Gaskets
2 mm
1000 × 1000 mm
4.32 kg
Gaskets, chute lining
3 mm
1000 × 1000 mm
6.48 kg
Flange gaskets, lining
4 mm
1000 × 1000 mm
8.64 kg
Flange gaskets, wear strip
5 mm
1000 × 1000 mm
10.80 kg
Slide pads, lining
6 mm
1000 × 1000 mm
12.96 kg
Slide pads, machining stock
8 mm
1000 × 1000 mm
17.28 kg
Wear plates
10 mm
1000 × 1000 mm
21.60 kg
Wear plates, machined parts
15 mm
1000 × 1000 mm
32.40 kg
Machining stock
20 mm
1000 × 1000 mm
43.20 kg
Machining stock
25 mm
1000 × 1000 mm
54.00 kg
Machining stock
50 mm
To order
By quote
Heavy machining stock
Cut-to-size pieces, gasket cutting and non-standard sheet sizes are available to order — send us your dimensions. Use the PTFE Weight Calculator to work out the weight of any size.
Chemical Resistance
PTFE is chemically inert to almost everything used in industry. The short list of things that do attack it — molten alkali metals and elemental fluorine — is rare in normal plant.
Medium
Resistance
Notes
Strong Acids (incl. Nitric, Sulphuric)
Excellent
Inert — the standard choice for acid service
Strong Alkalis / Caustic
Excellent
Inert across the full pH range
Aromatic & Ketone Solvents
Excellent
Unaffected where most plastics swell or dissolve
Mineral Oils & Fuels
Excellent
No swelling or degradation
Steam & Hot Water
Excellent
Within the 260°C ceiling
Ammonia
Excellent
Inert — suits fertilizer and refrigeration plant
Chlorine & Oxidizers
Good
Excellent in most service; confirm at high concentration and temperature
Alcohols
Excellent
Inert
Molten Alkali Metals
Poor
One of the few media that attacks PTFE — do not use
Elemental Fluorine (high temp)
Poor
Attacks PTFE — do not use
General guidance for the material family at normal industrial concentrations. See the full Chemical Compatibility Chart, and confirm your exact chemical, concentration and temperature with us before final selection.
Applications
PTFE sheet is cut, punched and machined into components wherever chemical attack, heat or friction rules out other materials.
Gaskets & Flange SealsCut into full-face and ring gaskets for aggressive chemical lines, where a rubber or fibre gasket would be attacked. Use the Gasket Sheet Usage Calculator to work out how many sheets your gasket run needs.
Chemical Tank & Chute LiningsLining sheet for tanks, hoppers and chutes handling acids, caustics and solvents — the inert surface resists attack, and the non-stick face stops product build-up.
Slide Pads & Wear StripsLow-friction sliding surfaces, guide strips and bearing pads that run dry. Note PTFE is soft — for heavily loaded wear duty, a filled grade or a harder plastic is the better choice.
Food & Pharmaceutical SurfacesFood/FDA-grade white sheet cut into scraper blades, guides, chute liners and product-contact surfaces that must not contaminate or harbour bacteria.
Electrical InsulationCut into insulating barriers, washers and standoffs. PTFE is an outstanding dielectric with volume resistivity above 10¹⁸ Ω·cm and a frequency-stable dielectric constant of 2.1.
Machined Flat ComponentsThicker moulded sheet is machining stock for seals, valve seats, spacers and back-up rings where the part is flat rather than turned from rod.
Industries
Why PTFE Sheets is specified in each of the industries we serve.
Chemical Plants
In chemical processing the media itself is usually what destroys a seal, and PTFE sheet exists precisely for that problem. Cut into flange gaskets, tank linings and machined components, it is inert across the full pH 0–14 range — resisting concentrated acids, caustics and solvents that attack rubber, fibre gaskets and even some metals. A PTFE gasket on an acid line will not swell, harden or corrode, and its inertness means it will not contaminate the process stream either. The trade-off a chemical plant has to design around is creep: PTFE cold-flows under sustained bolt load, so joints need correct torque and a re-torque after start-up. Where that is managed, PTFE sheet delivers a seal that simply does not care what is flowing through the pipe — which is why it is the default gasket stock on aggressive-media lines.
Pharmaceutical & Food Processing
Hygienic processing demands materials that are non-contaminating, cleanable and able to survive repeated hot CIP/SIP cycles without degrading. Food/FDA-grade white PTFE sheet meets all three: its effectively zero water absorption and non-stick surface resist product build-up and bacterial harbourage, and it tolerates the full sterilisation temperature range without breaking down or leaching extractables into product. Because PTFE is inert, it will not taint flavour or introduce contaminants — critical in dairy, beverage, confectionery and pharmaceutical lines. It is cut into gaskets, scraper blades, chute liners, guides and any product-contact surface where a rubber or elastomer would degrade under cleaning chemicals. When specifying for product contact, always confirm you need the certified food/FDA grade, not a standard industrial grade.
Oil & Gas
Oil and gas service combines aggressive media, wide temperature swings and high pressure — conditions that eliminate most gasket materials. PTFE sheet is cut into gaskets, back-up rings, valve seats and seals for exactly this environment: it resists hydrocarbons, sour gas, drilling chemicals and steam, and it holds up from cryogenic LNG temperatures right through to +260°C. Where an elastomer would harden, crack and blow out, PTFE stays chemically stable. Its limitation in this sector is mechanical rather than chemical — under very high bolt loads and cyclic pressure it can creep, so filled or expanded PTFE forms are often specified for the most demanding flanges. For chemically-driven sealing problems in refineries and petrochemical plant, virgin PTFE sheet remains the baseline material.
Textile Mills
Textile dyeing and finishing lines run hot, chemically-active liquor continuously, and the combination of heat plus chemistry is harder on sealing materials than either alone. PTFE sheet is used for gaskets and linings on dye vessels, bleaching lines and chemical dosing systems, where its inertness to the full range of dyes, bleaching agents and pH-adjustment chemicals means it does not degrade or discolour the product. Its non-stick surface is equally useful on the mechanical side — as guide strips and low-friction slide pads on machinery where a lubricated bearing would contaminate the fabric. Because PTFE absorbs effectively no water, machined tolerances hold in the wet, humid conditions typical of a dyehouse, where nylon components would swell and bind.
PTFE Sheet vs Other Gasket Sheets
How PTFE sheet compares with the other flat gasket materials we supply. Choose on the dominant threat — chemistry, heat, oil, or cost.
Property
PTFE Sheet
Non-Asbestos Jointing
Rubber Sheet (NBR)
Silicone Rubber Sheet
Chemical Resistance
Excellent (pH 0–14)
Fair
Fair — poor vs solvents
Fair
Max Temperature
260°C
~210°C
~100°C
230°C
Min Temperature
−180°C
Ambient
−30°C
−60°C
Oil / Fuel Resistance
Excellent
Good
Excellent
Poor
Creep / Cold Flow
High (design for it)
Low
Low
Low
Food Grade Available
Yes (FDA)
No
No
Yes
Relative Cost
High
Low
Low
Medium
Best For
Aggressive chemicals, any pH
General steam & oil flanges
Oil & fuel duty
High/low temp, food
Advantages & Limitations
Advantages
Chemically inert across the full pH 0–14 range — resists virtually every industrial chemical.
Very wide temperature range: −180°C to +260°C continuous.
Lowest coefficient of friction of any solid material (0.05–0.10) and a non-stick surface.
Effectively zero water absorption — dimensionally stable in wet and humid service.
Outstanding electrical insulator with a frequency-stable dielectric constant.
Non-flammable (UL94 V-0, oxygen index 95%).
Food/FDA-grade sheet available for direct product contact.
Cuts and punches cleanly into gaskets without specialist tooling.
Limitations
Creeps / cold-flows under sustained bolt load — the single most important thing to design around in a flange joint.
Soft and low in mechanical strength; not suited to heavily loaded wear duty unless a filled grade is used.
High thermal expansion (roughly 10× that of steel) — allow for movement across a temperature range.
Difficult to bond or glue without chemically etching the surface first.
More expensive than fibre or rubber jointing sheet — specify it where chemistry genuinely demands it.
Attacked by molten alkali metals and elemental fluorine (rare in normal plant).
Installation, Storage & Maintenance
Installation
Cut gaskets to the exact flange profile with a sharp blade or die — a ragged edge is where a PTFE gasket starts to fail. Tighten flange bolts in a star (criss-cross) pattern in stages (roughly 30% / 60% / 100% of final torque), never in a circle. Because PTFE creeps, re-torque the joint after the first heat-up and pressurisation cycle — this single step prevents most PTFE gasket leaks.
Storage
PTFE is chemically stable and has an effectively indefinite shelf life. Store sheet flat and evenly supported, out of direct sunlight, and do not stack heavy items on it — PTFE cold-flows under sustained localised pressure and will take a permanent set or dent.
Maintenance
PTFE gaskets and linings are essentially maintenance-free chemically — they do not corrode or degrade. The failure mode to watch is mechanical: check flange joints for relaxation (creep) at scheduled shutdowns and re-torque as needed. Replace gaskets on a fixed interval in critical duty rather than waiting for a leak.
Buying Guide
What to tell us so we quote the right grade first time.
Thickness and sheet size. Tell us the gauge (0.5–50 mm) and whether standard 1m × 1m sheet works or you need cut-to-size.
Virgin or reprocessed grade. Virgin PTFE for chemical, food and critical duty; reprocessed is a lower-cost option for less demanding applications.
Food or FDA contact? If the part touches food, dairy or pharmaceutical product, say so — you need the certified food-grade sheet, not standard industrial.
The media, temperature and pressure. PTFE handles almost any chemistry, but the temperature ceiling (260°C) and creep behaviour under bolt load are the real design constraints.
Cut gaskets or plain sheet? We can supply plain sheet for you to cut, or cut gaskets to your drawing or flange size — send dimensions or a template.
Filled grade needed? For loaded wear duty or reduced creep, glass-, carbon- or bronze-filled PTFE trades a little friction and inertness for a large gain in strength and dimensional stability.
Standards & Compliance
ASTM D4894 — standard specification for PTFE moulding and extrusion materials.
ISO 12086 — plastics: fluoropolymer dispersions and moulding/extrusion materials.
FDA 21 CFR 177.1550 — food-contact compliance for perfluorocarbon resins (applies to certified food-grade sheet only).
UL 94 V-0 — flammability classification; PTFE will not sustain a flame.
Certificates of conformity and food-grade documentation can be supplied on request — tell us at the point of order if you need them for audit.
From 0.5 mm up to 50 mm. Thin gauges (up to about 6 mm) are skived; thicker sections are moulded and machined. Tell us the gauge you need and the application.
What is the standard sheet size?
1000 × 1000 mm is the typical stock size. 1200 × 1200 mm and cut-to-size pieces are available to order.
Can PTFE sheet be used for food contact?
Yes — but only the certified food/FDA-grade white sheet. Standard industrial PTFE is chemically the same polymer but does not carry the food-contact certification you would need for an audit. Always specify food grade explicitly.
Is PTFE sheet FDA approved?
Food-grade PTFE sheet complies with FDA 21 CFR 177.1550 for food-contact use. We can supply the documentation on request — tell us at the point of order.
Why does my PTFE gasket keep leaking?
Almost always creep. PTFE cold-flows under sustained bolt load, so the joint relaxes after the first heat-up cycle. Re-torque the flange (star pattern, in stages) after initial start-up — this fixes the majority of PTFE gasket leaks.
What is cold flow / creep?
PTFE slowly deforms under a constant load rather than holding its shape. In a bolted flange this means the gasket thins and the bolt load drops over time. It is a property of the material, not a defect — you design around it with correct torque and a re-torque.
What is the difference between skived and moulded sheet?
Skived sheet is shaved off a rotating billet (used for thin gauges, consistent thickness, standard gasket stock). Moulded sheet is compression-moulded and machined (used for thick sections, denser, better for machining). Same polymer, same chemical and thermal properties.
What is the maximum temperature for PTFE sheet?
260°C continuous. It melts at 327°C. It also performs down to about −180°C, so it covers cryogenic service too.
Which chemicals attack PTFE?
Almost none. The exceptions are molten alkali metals and elemental fluorine at high temperature — both rare in normal industrial plant. For everything else in the pH 0–14 range, PTFE is inert.
PTFE sheet vs non-asbestos jointing sheet — which do I need?
Choose on the dominant threat. If the problem is aggressive chemistry, PTFE. If it is a standard steam or oil flange up to about 210°C, non-asbestos jointing sheet does the job at a fraction of the cost. Do not pay for PTFE where chemistry is not the issue.
Can PTFE sheet be glued or bonded?
Not easily. PTFE has a non-stick surface, so adhesives will not key to it unless the surface is chemically etched first. If you need a bonded assembly, tell us — etched (bondable) PTFE sheet is available.
Can PTFE sheet be welded?
Not by conventional plastic welding. PTFE does not melt-flow like other thermoplastics; joining is done by mechanical fastening, or by sintering/fusing under heat and pressure in a specialist process.
Can PTFE sheet be machined?
Yes — thicker moulded sheet machines cleanly with sharp tooling into flat components, seals and wear plates. Support thin sections, as PTFE is soft and will deflect under tool pressure.
What is virgin vs reprocessed PTFE?
Virgin is 100% new PTFE resin, with full chemical resistance and mechanical properties — required for food, pharmaceutical and critical chemical duty. Reprocessed uses recycled PTFE, costs less, and is suitable for less demanding applications.
Should I use a filled PTFE grade?
Filled grades (glass, carbon, bronze) trade a little friction and chemical inertness for a large gain in mechanical strength, wear resistance and reduced creep. Use them for loaded wear duty; use virgin PTFE where chemistry or purity is the priority.
Is PTFE sheet good for wear applications?
Unfilled PTFE is soft and not ideal for heavily loaded wear duty — it will creep and wear. For sliding surfaces under real load, use a filled PTFE grade, or a harder engineering plastic. Virgin PTFE is best where low friction and chemical resistance matter more than load capacity.
Does PTFE absorb water?
Effectively none (< 0.01%). This is why PTFE holds machined tolerances in wet and humid environments where nylon would swell and bind.
Is PTFE sheet flammable?
No. It carries a UL94 V-0 rating and has an oxygen index of about 95%, meaning it will not sustain a flame in air.
Is PTFE UV resistant / suitable for outdoor use?
Yes. PTFE is highly resistant to UV and weathering and does not degrade outdoors the way many plastics do.
What is the shelf life of PTFE sheet?
Effectively indefinite — PTFE is chemically stable and does not age. Just store it flat and unloaded so it does not take a permanent set from cold flow.
Can you cut gaskets to my drawing?
Yes. Send us your flange dimensions, a template or a drawing and we will cut them. You can also use our Gasket Sheet Usage Calculator to work out how many sheets a gasket run needs.
How is PTFE sheet priced?
By weight, like all PTFE. Thickness and sheet size determine the weight, so those are the two figures that drive the price. Our PTFE Weight Calculator will give you the weight of any size.
Need a quote or a spec check?
Send us your operating conditions and we will confirm the right grade for the job.
