Failed refrigeration test in 1938 sparks Teflon discovery with heatproof and ultra slippery breakthrough

A blocked cylinder turned into the lab’s biggest surprise

In 1938, chemist Roy Plunkett was testing refrigerant gases when a cylinder he expected to contain a gas was instead blocked and, upon opening, lined with a white, waxy substance. That material proved to be polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), better known as Teflon, later prized for extreme stability, heat resistance, chemical resistance, and very low surface energy—key to the non-stick reputation. Its widespread industrial use grew after World War II as fluoropolymers gained traction.