A Method for Applying a Permanent Teflon" Coating to Ground Class Joints

Frustration, hazard, and loss of time and materials from "frozen" ground glass joints are familiar to almost all workers
in chemical laboratories. Pre-formed Teflon* sleeves available wmmereially work well in many cases. However, for apparatus
with a high risk of frozen joints, or wherepre-formed jointsdo not fit, aconvenient precaution is toapply a permanent coat
of Teflon* to both surfaces of the joint. We have experimented with various commercial sources ofTeflon@or similar resins,
and with methods of application, and wish to report a method for treating large batches of glassware.
The joint surfaces are cleaned with solvent to remove grease, and then further cleaned with chromic acid, or haked a t
550°C for 8 hr, followed by slow cooling. Joint surfaces are then coated by dipping them in a colloidal suspension of Teflon"
(30B. DuPont),and allowing them to drain rapidly toachieve a thin, uniform film. After the film has driedtoawhitecolor,
the items are further dried in a oven a t about 120" for 30 mi". Then they are haked a t 370-380°C 10 minor more to sinter
the coating to a smooth, durable film. For occasional small items, sintering can be accomplished by heating with a high-
temperature electric heat gun until the film turns from white t o transparent, or by placing the items in an oven of a gas
chromatograph. T h e sintering releases fumes which a r e highly toxic and must be done only i n a well-ventilated
oven o r fume hood.
. . a slieht
Freouentlv - ridee of excess coatine" a t the edee of a ioint surface orevents a oerfect fit. This is readilv removed
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hv a sham knife. Damaged coatines can be removed with fine ahrasive oaoer. For inints such nr stoncocks. where contintmus

to deliver a liquid that melts above room temperature. In such cases, when the Teflonm plug is warmed, i t expands more
than the glass body, causing seizure. Glass stopcocks coated by the above procedure, on the other hand, do not seize up when
heated.
Larry Ferris of DuPont and Jack Laverdure of Miller-Stephenson Chemical Co. very helpfully supplied resin samples
for evaluation.
Douglas M. JeweH
James G. Lawless
Ames Research Center. NASA
Moffen Field, CA 94035

Volume 58 Number 11 November 1981 903