spore: profile
id: pfa
spore_version: 0.2
family: fluoropolymers
name: Perfluoroalkoxy alkane
abbreviation: PFA
role: melt-processible fluoropolymer for wire insulation, high-purity fluid handling and chemical linings
category: polymers
type: fluoropolymers
summary: PFA is a fully fluorinated, melt-processible copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether that combines the chemical inertness and continuous high-temperature service up to 260 °C with conventional thermoplastic fabrication. Flown on the ISS MISSE 2 experiment, PFA film exhibited an atomic oxygen erosion yield of 1.73e-25 cm3/atom, eroding roughly twenty times slower than Kapton polyimide. Its operational vulnerabilities in space systems include ionizing radiation embrittlement above 10 kGy and toxic decomposition into hydrogen fluoride above 350 °C.
best_for: Melt-processible thin films, wire insulation, and fluid components requiring extreme chemical inertness, low outgassing, and resistance to atomic oxygen erosion in low Earth orbit.
weakest_at: Low resistance to ionizing radiation (chain scission causes embrittlement above 10 kGy), modest mechanical tensile strength of 21 MPa, and release of corrosive hydrogen fluoride upon heating above 350 °C.
identity:
  formula: Copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether, (-CF2-CF2-)m-(CF2-CF(ORf)-)n; CAS 26655-00-5
  cas: 26655-00-5
  source: agc-fluon-sds
  where: Section 3 (Composition/Information on Ingredients)
tags:
  environments:
    - low-earth-orbit
  stresses:
    - atomic-oxygen
    - total-radiation-dose
    - thermal-cycling
    - extreme-cold
    - vacuum-and-outgassing
  applications:
    - electronics-and-chips
    - propulsion-and-tanks
properties:
  - benchmark: atomic_oxygen_erosion_yield
    label: Atomic oxygen erosion yield, MISSE 2 flight
    value: 1.73e-25
    unit: cm3/atom
    scope: material
    conditions:
      environment: low Earth orbit, ISS MISSE 2 PEACE Polymers tray
      fluence: 8.43e21 atoms/cm2 (3.95 year exposure)
      unit_in_source: cm3/atom
    method: Value printed in NASA Table I (MISSE 2 PEACE Polymers erosion yield data) as the measured flight erosion yield
    status: flight
    source: nasa-ao-tool
    where: Table I, row Perfluoroalkoxy copolymer resin (PFA)
  - benchmark: density
    label: Density (MISSE 2 flight sample)
    value: 2.1383
    unit: g/cm3
    scope: material
    conditions:
      sample: MISSE 2 PEACE Polymers flight film
    method: Density listed in NASA Table II for the flown PFA test sample, column Density (ref. 12)
    status: ground
    source: nasa-ao-tool
    where: Table II, row Perfluoroalkoxy copolymer resin (PFA), Density column
  - benchmark: density
    label: Density (Teflon PFA film, ASTM D1505)
    value: 2150
    unit: kg/m3
    scope: material
    conditions:
      test_standard: ASTM D1505
      form: 0.050 mm (2 mil) film at 25 °C
    method: Density printed in Chemours Teflon PFA Properties Bulletin, General properties section
    status: ground
    source: chemours-pfa-bulletin
    where: Table 2 (Typical Properties of Teflon PFA Fluoropolymer Film), General section, Density row
  - benchmark: melting_point
    label: Melting range, Teflon PFA film (ASTM D3418)
    value: 302
    value_high: 310
    unit: °C
    scope: material
    conditions:
      test_standard: ASTM D3418
    method: Melting point range printed in Chemours Teflon PFA Properties Bulletin, Thermal section
    status: ground
    source: chemours-pfa-bulletin
    where: Table 2, Thermal section, Melt Point row
  - benchmark: melting_point
    label: Melting point, Teflon PFA 440HPB (ASTM D4591)
    value: 305
    unit: °C
    scope: material
    conditions:
      test_standard: ASTM D4591
      grade: Teflon PFA 440HPB molding and extrusion resin
    method: Melting point printed in Chemours Product Information sheet for Teflon PFA 440HPB
    status: ground
    source: chemours-pfa-440hpb
    where: Table 1 (Typical Property Data), General section, Melting Point row
  - benchmark: ultimate_tensile_strength
    label: Tensile strength at break, Teflon PFA film (ASTM D882)
    value: 21
    unit: MPa
    scope: material
    conditions:
      test_standard: ASTM D882
      temperature: 25 °C
      form: 0.050 mm (2 mil) film
    method: Tensile strength at break printed in Chemours Teflon PFA Properties Bulletin
    status: ground
    source: chemours-pfa-bulletin
    where: Table 2, Mechanical section, Tensile Strength at Break row
  - benchmark: ultimate_tensile_strength
    label: Tensile strength at -198 °C (liquid nitrogen temperature)
    value: 130
    unit: MPa
    scope: material
    conditions:
      temperature: '-198 °C'
      grade: Fluon PFA P-66P
    method: Tensile strength measured at low temperature (-198 °C) reported in AGC Fluon PFA technical brochure
    status: ground
    source: agc-pfa-brochure
    where: Table 6 (Effect of Low Temperature on Tensile Strength and Elongation), -198 °C row
  - benchmark: yield_strength
    label: Yield point, Teflon PFA film (ASTM D882)
    value: 12
    unit: MPa
    scope: material
    conditions:
      test_standard: ASTM D882
      temperature: 25 °C
      form: 0.050 mm (2 mil) film
    method: Yield point printed in Chemours Teflon PFA Properties Bulletin
    status: ground
    source: chemours-pfa-bulletin
    where: Table 2, Mechanical section, Yield Point row
  - benchmark: elongation
    label: Elongation at break, Teflon PFA film (ASTM D882)
    value: 300
    unit: '%'
    scope: material
    conditions:
      test_standard: ASTM D882
      temperature: 25 °C
      form: 0.050 mm (2 mil) film
    method: Elongation at break printed in Chemours Teflon PFA Properties Bulletin
    status: ground
    source: chemours-pfa-bulletin
    where: Table 2, Mechanical section, Elongation at Break row
  - benchmark: elastic_modulus
    label: Elastic modulus, Teflon PFA film (ASTM D882)
    value: 480
    unit: MPa
    scope: material
    conditions:
      test_standard: ASTM D882
      temperature: 25 °C
      form: 0.050 mm (2 mil) film
    method: Elastic modulus printed in Chemours Teflon PFA Properties Bulletin
    status: ground
    source: chemours-pfa-bulletin
    where: Table 2, Mechanical section, Elastic Modulus row
  - benchmark: flexural_modulus
    label: Flexural modulus, Fluon PFA P-66P (ASTM D790)
    value: 0.54
    unit: GPa
    scope: material
    conditions:
      test_standard: ASTM D790
      temperature: 23 °C
      grade: Fluon PFA P-66P
    method: Flexural modulus printed in AGC Fluon PFA Technical Brochure property table
    status: ground
    source: agc-pfa-brochure
    where: Section 10 (Material properties of Fluon PFA), Mechanical section, Flexural modulus row
  - benchmark: flexural_modulus
    label: Flexural modulus, Teflon PFA 440HPB (ASTM D790)
    value: 590
    unit: MPa
    scope: material
    conditions:
      test_standard: ASTM D790
      temperature: 23 °C
      grade: Teflon PFA 440HPB
    method: Flexural modulus printed in Chemours Teflon PFA 440HPB property data table
    status: ground
    source: chemours-pfa-440hpb
    where: Table 1, Mechanical section, Flexural Modulus 23 °C row
  - benchmark: thermal_conductivity
    label: Thermal conductivity, Teflon PFA film (Cenco-Fitch)
    value: 0.195
    unit: W/(m·K)
    scope: material
    conditions:
      method_standard: Cenco-Fitch
      temperature: 25 °C
    method: Thermal conductivity printed in Chemours Teflon PFA Properties Bulletin
    status: ground
    source: chemours-pfa-bulletin
    where: Table 2, Thermal section, Thermal Conductivity row
  - benchmark: specific_heat
    label: Specific heat capacity, Teflon PFA film
    value: 1172
    unit: J/(kg·K)
    scope: material
    conditions:
      temperature: 25 °C
    method: Specific heat value printed in Chemours Teflon PFA Properties Bulletin
    status: ground
    source: chemours-pfa-bulletin
    where: Table 2, Thermal section, Specific Heat row
  - benchmark: heat_deflection_temperature
    label: Heat distortion temperature at 0.45 MPa (JIS K7207)
    value: 91
    unit: °C
    scope: material
    conditions:
      load: 0.45 MPa (66 psi)
      rate: 2 °C/min
      grade: Fluon PFA P-66P
    method: Heat distortion temperature under 0.45 MPa load reported in AGC Fluon PFA technical brochure
    status: ground
    source: agc-pfa-brochure
    where: Table 3 (Heat distortion temperature), 0.45 MPa loading row
  - benchmark: vicat_softening_temperature
    label: Vicat softening temperature, Fluon PFA P-66P (JIS K7206)
    value: 287
    unit: °C
    scope: material
    conditions:
      load: 1 kg
      rate: 50 °C/h
      grade: Fluon PFA P-66P
    method: Vicat softening temperature printed in AGC Fluon PFA technical brochure
    status: ground
    source: agc-pfa-brochure
    where: Table 4 (Vicat softening temperature), P-66P column
  - benchmark: max_service_temp
    label: Continuous upper service temperature
    value: 260
    unit: °C
    scope: material
    conditions:
      environment: air, continuous service
    method: Upper continuous service temperature limit stated in Chemours Teflon PFA film bulletin
    status: ground
    source: chemours-pfa-bulletin
    where: Description section, Wide Thermal Range bullet
  - benchmark: dielectric_constant
    label: Dielectric constant at 1 MHz, Teflon PFA film (ASTM D150)
    value: 2
    unit: '-'
    scope: material
    conditions:
      frequency: 100 Hz to 1 MHz
      temperature: 25 °C
      test_standard: ASTM D150
    method: Dielectric constant value printed in Chemours Teflon PFA Properties Bulletin
    status: ground
    source: chemours-pfa-bulletin
    where: Table 2, Electrical section, Dielectric Constant row
  - benchmark: dielectric_constant
    label: Dielectric constant at 1 MHz, Teflon PFA 440HPB (ASTM D150)
    value: 2.03
    unit: '-'
    scope: material
    conditions:
      frequency: 1 MHz
      test_standard: ASTM D150 / IEC 250
    method: Dielectric constant printed in Chemours Teflon PFA 440HPB property data table
    status: ground
    source: chemours-pfa-440hpb
    where: Table 1, Electrical section, Dielectric Constant row
  - benchmark: dielectric_strength
    label: Dielectric strength, short time, 0.025 mm film (ASTM D149)
    value: 260
    unit: kV/mm
    scope: material
    conditions:
      test_standard: ASTM D149 Method A
      thickness: 0.025 mm (1 mil)
      environment: air at 23 °C, 60 Hz
    method: Short-time dielectric strength printed in Chemours Teflon PFA Properties Bulletin
    status: ground
    source: chemours-pfa-bulletin
    where: Table 2, Electrical section, Dielectric Strength row
  - benchmark: dielectric_strength
    label: Dielectric strength, short time, 0.25 mm specimen (ASTM D149)
    value: 80
    unit: kV/mm
    scope: material
    conditions:
      test_standard: ASTM D149 / IEC 243
      thickness: 0.25 mm (0.010 in)
    method: Dielectric strength printed in Chemours Teflon PFA 440HPB property data table
    status: ground
    source: chemours-pfa-440hpb
    where: Table 1, Electrical section, Dielectric Strength row
  - benchmark: refractive_index
    label: Refractive index (ASTM D542)
    value: 1.35
    unit: '-'
    scope: material
    conditions:
      test_standard: ASTM D542
    method: Refractive index value printed in Chemours Teflon PFA Properties Bulletin
    status: ground
    source: chemours-pfa-bulletin
    where: Table 2, General section, Refractive Index row
  - benchmark: melt_flow_index
    label: Melt flow rate, Teflon PFA 440HPB (ASTM D3307)
    value: 14
    unit: g/10min
    scope: material
    conditions:
      test_standard: ASTM D3307 / ISO 12086
      temperature: 372 °C
      load: 5 kg
    method: Melt flow rate value printed in Chemours Teflon PFA 440HPB property data table
    status: ground
    source: chemours-pfa-440hpb
    where: Table 1, General section, Melt Flow Rate row
  - benchmark: outgassing_tml
    label: Total mass loss, Teflon PFA molded resin (ASTM E595)
    value: 0.01
    unit: '% mass'
    scope: material
    conditions:
      test_standard: ASTM E595
      temperature: 125 °C
      duration: 24 hr
      pressure: < 10^-5 torr
      specimen: TEFLON PFA MOLDED SPECIMEN TE-9704, GSFC4828
    method: Total mass loss measured in NASA outgassing screening test per ASTM E595
    status: ground
    source: nasa-rp1124
    where: Section 12 (Molding Compounds), row TEFLON PFA MOLDED SPECIMEN TE-9704 (GSFC4828)
  - benchmark: outgassing_cvcm
    label: Collected volatile condensable material, Teflon PFA molded resin (ASTM E595)
    value: 0
    unit: '% mass'
    scope: material
    conditions:
      test_standard: ASTM E595
      temperature: 125 °C
      duration: 24 hr
      pressure: < 10^-5 torr
      collector_temperature: 25 °C
      specimen: TEFLON PFA MOLDED SPECIMEN TE-9704, GSFC4828
    method: Collected volatile condensable material measured in NASA outgassing test per ASTM E595
    status: ground
    source: nasa-rp1124
    where: Section 12 (Molding Compounds), row TEFLON PFA MOLDED SPECIMEN TE-9704 (GSFC4828)
corrosion:
  - environment: Atomic oxygen in low Earth orbit (MISSE 2 flight, 3.95 years)
    headline: PFA erodes slowly under atomic oxygen in low Earth orbit.
    effect: Measured flight erosion yield of 1.73e-25 cm3/atom outside the ISS Quest airlock at 8.43e21 atoms/cm2 fluence.
    conditions:
      fluence: 8.43e21 atoms/cm2
    source: nasa-ao-tool
    where: Table I, row Perfluoroalkoxy copolymer resin (PFA)
    rating: low
  - environment: Reactive chemicals and aggressive solvents
    headline: PFA is chemically inert to virtually all acids and solvents.
    effect: Chemours and AGC report that PFA resists virtually all chemicals except molten alkali metals, gaseous fluorine, and chlorine trifluoride at high temperature.
    conditions:
      temperature: high temperature
    source: chemours-pfa-bulletin
    where: Chemical Compatibility paragraph
    rating: none
  - environment: Thermal degradation above 350 °C
    headline: Overheating above 350 °C causes decomposition and releases toxic hydrogen fluoride.
    effect: Small amounts of hydrogen fluoride evolve around 350 °C, and extended overheating above 400 °C can lead to autocatalytic degradation.
    conditions:
      temperature: above 350 °C
    source: agc-fluon-sds
    where: Section 10 (Stability and Reactivity)
    rating: severe
  - environment: Ionizing radiation (gamma, electron or proton dose)
    headline: Radiation exposure causes chain scission and rapid loss of ductility above 10 kGy.
    effect: Nordion gives a gamma tolerance limit of 5 to 10 kGy, and AGC tests show marked loss of elongation at 10 Mrad in air.
    conditions:
      exposure: gamma irradiation in air
    source: nordion-gamma-guide
    where: Radiation stability table, Perfluoro Alkoxy row
    rating: severe
uses:
  - application: electronics-and-chips
    device: High-temperature wire and cable insulation
    example: Chemours and AGC cite wire and cable jacketing for high-temperature service and plenum installations.
    source: chemours-pfa-bulletin
    where: Applications and Description sections
  - application: propulsion-and-tanks
    device: High-purity fluid handling tubing, valve linings and containment fittings
    example: Extruded tubing, pipe linings and fluid handling components for corrosive liquids in chemical and semiconductor service.
    source: chemours-pfa-440hpb
    where: Typical Applications section
risks:
  hazards:
    - text: PFA resin pellets and films are not classified as hazardous under OSHA GHS (29 CFR 1910.1200) in standard supply form.
      ghs: []
      source: agc-fluon-sds
      where: Section 2 (Hazards Identification)
    - text: Thermal decomposition above 350 °C releases toxic gases including hydrogen fluoride (HF) and carbonyl fluoride, which cause eye burns and lung injury.
      ghs:
        - H330
        - H314
      source: pubchem-hf
      where: GHS Classification, CID 14917
    - text: Fumes liberated during hot processing or from smoking tobacco contaminated with polymer dust cause polymer fume fever (chills, fever, sore throat).
      ghs: []
      source: chemours-pfa-440hpb
      where: Safety Precautions section
  failure_risks:
    - mode: Radiation embrittlement
      trigger: Total ionizing dose exceeding 10 kGy
      consequence: Polymer backbone scission reduces elongation toward zero, leading to mechanical cracking under vibration or thermal strain.
      severity: high
      source: nordion-gamma-guide
      where: Radiation stability table, Perfluoro Alkoxy row
    - mode: Atomic oxygen surface erosion
      trigger: Exposure to orbital atomic oxygen fluence
      consequence: Surface mass loss occurs at 1.73e-25 cm3/atom in low Earth orbit, necessitating sufficient barrier thickness.
      severity: moderate
      source: nasa-ao-tool
      where: Table I, row Perfluoroalkoxy copolymer resin (PFA)
  side_effects:
    - text: Tobacco smoke contaminated with PFA dust converts benign polymer dust into toxic gaseous fluorinated breakdown products.
      affects: Respiratory tract
      source: agc-fluon-sds
      where: Section 7 (Handling and Storage)
  handling:
    - text: Provide local exhaust ventilation during hot melt processing to remove all liberated vapors and fumes from the work area.
      source: agc-fluon-sds
      where: Section 8 (Exposure controls)
    - text: Extrusion barrels and tooling in contact with molten resin at 390 °C must be fabricated from corrosion-resistant alloys such as Monel, Inconel, or Hastelloy.
      source: chemours-pfa-440hpb
      where: Processing section
  mitigations:
    - text: Maintain processing temperatures strictly below decomposition limits and use positive pressure air respirators if ventilation is inadequate.
      source: agc-fluon-sds
      where: Section 8 (Personal protection)
supply:
  - subject: Fluorspar (CaF2), the mineral feedstock for fluorine chemistry
    abundance: Fluorspar is the primary mineral source of hydrogen fluoride used to synthesize fluoropolymers; USGS reports that the United States is 100% net import reliant for fluorspar.
    producers:
      - country: China
        share_percent: 60
        year: 2025
      - country: Mexico
        share_percent: 15
        year: 2025
      - country: Mongolia
        share_percent: 15
        year: 2025
      - country: South Africa
        share_percent: 4.1
        year: 2025
    critical_lists:
      - list: USGS Critical Minerals List
        listed: true
    source: usgs-fluorspar-2026
    where: World Mine Production and Reserves table, 2025 column
media: []
documents:
  - title: Teflon PFA Fluoropolymer Film Properties Bulletin
    type: datasheet
    url: https://www.teflon.com/es/-/media/files/teflon/teflon-pfa-properties-bulletin.pdf?rev=264edd548b0a4a
    year: 2024
  - title: Fluon PFA Technical Brochure
    type: datasheet
    url: https://agcce.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/PFAMarch2016.pdf
    year: 2016
  - title: Teflon PFA 440HPB Molding and Extrusion Resin Product Information
    type: datasheet
    url: https://hongrunplastics.com/public/uploads/images/20260203/Teflon%20PFA%20440HPB.pdf
    year: 2026
  - title: Atomic Oxygen Erosion Yield Predictive Tool for Spacecraft Polymers in Low Earth Orbit (NASA/TM-2008-215490)
    type: report
    url: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20090011780/downloads/20090011780.pdf
    year: 2008
  - title: Outgassing Data for Selecting Spacecraft Materials (NASA Reference Publication 1124, Revision 3)
    type: report
    url: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19940017416/downloads/19940017416.pdf
    year: 1994
  - title: Fluon PFA Safety Data Sheet (SDS No. R-1243HCS-03)
    type: sds
    url: https://files.dep.state.pa.us/RegionalResources/NCRO/NCROPortalFiles/CommunityInformation/Benner_Township/COA-Admin-Record/PART%207/503%20responses/Polymics/Fluon%20PFA%20SDS.pdf
    year: 2018
  - title: Gamma Compatible Materials Reference Guide
    type: report
    url: https://www.nordion.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Nordion_Gamma_Compatibility_2017-01_PCCS-121E.pdf
    year: 2017
  - title: 'Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Fluorspar (USGS)'
    type: report
    url: https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-fluorspar.pdf
    year: 2026
  - title: PubChem Compound Record for Hydrofluoric Acid (CID 14917)
    type: database
    url: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/rest/pug_view/data/compound/14917/JSON
    year: 2026
gaps:
  - Commercial PFA resin pricing varies by purity grade and is sold on direct supplier quote; no transparent spot commodity price series was verified.
  - Comonomer ratio (perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether to tetrafluoroethylene) is proprietary to resin producers and is not stated as a numeric molar fraction in the datasheets read in this run.
  - Atomic oxygen erosion yield rests on the NASA MISSE 2 PEACE Polymers flight sample; long-term on-orbit cryogenic thermal cycling data specifically for PFA were not located.
  - Outgassing benchmarks use non-canonical slugs outgassing_tml and outgassing_cvcm, and melt flow index uses melt_flow_index, as canonical equivalents are not present in spores/property-canon.yaml.
sources:
  chemours-pfa-bulletin:
    title: Teflon PFA Fluoropolymer Film Properties Bulletin
    id: Chemours Bulletin C-10134
    url: https://www.teflon.com/es/-/media/files/teflon/teflon-pfa-properties-bulletin.pdf?rev=264edd548b0a4a
    year: 2024
    kind: datasheet
    license: cited, not reproduced
  agc-pfa-brochure:
    title: Fluon PFA Technical Brochure
    id: AGC Fluon PFA TECH ENG 03/2016
    url: https://agcce.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/PFAMarch2016.pdf
    year: 2016
    kind: datasheet
    license: cited, not reproduced
  chemours-pfa-440hpb:
    title: Teflon PFA 440HPB Molding and Extrusion Resin Product Information
    id: Chemours PFA 440HPB Datasheet
    url: https://hongrunplastics.com/public/uploads/images/20260203/Teflon%20PFA%20440HPB.pdf
    year: 2026
    kind: datasheet
    license: cited, not reproduced
  nasa-ao-tool:
    title: Atomic Oxygen Erosion Yield Predictive Tool for Spacecraft Polymers in Low Earth Orbit
    id: NASA/TM-2008-215490
    url: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20090011780/downloads/20090011780.pdf
    year: 2008
    kind: report
    license: public domain (NASA)
  nasa-rp1124:
    title: Outgassing Data for Selecting Spacecraft Materials (NASA Reference Publication 1124, Revision 3)
    id: NASA-RP-1124 Rev. 3
    url: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19940017416/downloads/19940017416.pdf
    year: 1994
    kind: report
    license: public domain (NASA)
  agc-fluon-sds:
    title: Fluon PFA Safety Data Sheet (SDS No. R-1243HCS-03)
    id: AGC SDS R-1243HCS-03
    url: https://files.dep.state.pa.us/RegionalResources/NCRO/NCROPortalFiles/CommunityInformation/Benner_Township/COA-Admin-Record/PART%207/503%20responses/Polymics/Fluon%20PFA%20SDS.pdf
    year: 2018
    kind: datasheet
    license: cited, not reproduced
  nordion-gamma-guide:
    title: Gamma Compatible Materials Reference Guide
    id: Nordion PCCS-121E
    url: https://www.nordion.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Nordion_Gamma_Compatibility_2017-01_PCCS-121E.pdf
    year: 2017
    kind: handbook
    license: cited, not reproduced
  usgs-fluorspar-2026:
    title: 'Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Fluorspar (U.S. Geological Survey)'
    id: USGS MCS 2026, February 2026
    url: https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-fluorspar.pdf
    year: 2026
    kind: report
    license: public domain (USGS)
  wiki-pfa:
    title: Perfluoroalkoxy alkane (Wikipedia)
    id: Wikipedia, en
    url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfluoroalkoxy_alkane
    year: 2026
    kind: web
    license: CC BY-SA 4.0
  pubchem-hf:
    title: PubChem Compound Record for Hydrofluoric Acid (CID 14917)
    id: PubChem CID 14917
    url: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/rest/pug_view/data/compound/14917/JSON
    year: 2026
    kind: database
    license: public domain (NIH/NLM)
license: CC-BY-4.0
updated: '2026-10-20'
review:
  status: draft
  method: assistant
  checked_values: 25
  unreachable: 0
  caveats: 0
  note: Written from datasheets, NASA reports, and government publications fetched and verified in this run. 25 property values across 10 sources.
story:
  recipe:
    line: PFA is a fully fluorinated copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and a perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether comonomer. The repeating structure consists of linear tetrafluoroethylene units interspersed with bulky perfluoroalkoxy pendant groups that lower crystallinity and allow thermoplastic melt processing.
    parts:
      - name: Tetrafluoroethylene
        monomer: C2F4
        role: Primary fluorinated backbone monomer providing chemical inertness and low friction
      - name: Perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether
        monomer: C2F3ORf
        role: Comonomer whose bulky perfluoroalkoxy pendant group disrupts crystalline packing to enable melt extrusion
  risk_groups:
    - title: Spacecraft harness engineers using PFA insulation in high radiation orbits
    - title: Personnel handling fluoropolymer processing equipment above 350 °C
    - title: Mission designers deploying thin PFA films in low Earth orbit atomic oxygen
  why: PFA provides the chemical inertness, low dielectric constant of 2.0, and continuous operating service up to 260 °C characteristic of PTFE, but adds the capability of melt extrusion and injection moulding. In low Earth orbit exposure on MISSE 2, its measured atomic oxygen erosion yield was 1.73e-25 cm3/atom, and its vacuum outgassing total mass loss is 0.01 percent.
  uses:
    - where: Use
      line: High-temperature wire and cable insulation where dielectric stability and continuous rating to 260 °C are needed.
    - where: Use
      line: Chemical process and fuel fluid handling components requiring resistance to aggressive propellants.
    - where: Use
      line: Low-outgassing films in vacuum systems where total mass loss of 0.01 percent satisfies ASTM E595 requirements.
  can_do:
    - label: Strength
      line: PFA achieves a tensile strength of 21 MPa and an elongation of 300 percent at break under ASTM D882 testing.
    - label: Thermal
      line: PFA retains structural integrity with a Vicat softening temperature of 287 °C and a heat distortion temperature of 91 °C at 0.45 MPa.
    - label: Electrical
      line: PFA exhibits a low dielectric constant of 2.0 and a dielectric strength of 260 kV/mm on thin films.
  compare: Among fluoropolymers evaluated on MISSE 2, PFA erodes under atomic oxygen at 1.73e-25 cm3/atom, performing closely to FEP and PTFE. Unlike PTFE, PFA is melt-processible with a melting range of 302 to 310 °C, and maintains a tensile strength of 21 MPa with an elongation of 300 percent at room temperature.
  compare_rows:
    - label: Melting point
      benchmark: melting_point
    - label: Tensile strength
      benchmark: ultimate_tensile_strength
    - label: Dielectric constant
      benchmark: dielectric_constant
  handling:
    - Provide adequate ventilation during melt processing to exhaust liberated vapors and fumes from the work area.
    - Prevent tobacco or cigarette products from contacting polymer dust to avoid forming toxic decomposition products upon smoking.
    - Construct extrusion tooling and barrels from corrosion-resistant alloys when heating resin near 390 °C.
  good_for:
    - Wire insulation and cable sleeving for aerospace and spaceflight electronics requiring continuous service up to 260 °C.
    - High-purity tubing and fluid handling components exposed to aggressive chemicals or vacuum conditions.
    - Thin protective films in low Earth orbit requiring low atomic oxygen erosion rates and minimal outgassing.
  watch_out:
    - Ionizing radiation causes backbone chain scission with significant loss of ductility above 10 kGy.
    - Heating above 350 °C causes thermal breakdown, evolving toxic and corrosive hydrogen fluoride gas.
    - Tensile strength of 21 MPa is modest, precluding primary structural load-bearing functions.
  verdict: PFA is an outstanding melt-processible fluoropolymer for aerospace wire insulation, fluid handling, and low-outgassing barrier films in low Earth orbit, provided it is shielded from high cumulative ionizing radiation doses above 10 kGy.