Why doesn’t anything stick to Teflon? - Ashwini Bharathula

翻译人员: Cissy Yun 校对人员: Junkai Fu

Nothing stuck to Mafia boss John Gotti

黑手党老大John Gotti可以做到 与什么犯罪事件都沾不上边

who evaded justice for years by bribing and threatening jurors and witnesses.

多年，他靠威胁听审团和目击者 来逃离法网

That earned him the name the Teflon Don

这还使他多了个外号 特氟龙先生

after one of the slipperiest materials on Earth.

这个外号来源于世界上最滑的物质

Teflon was in the spacesuits the Apollo crew wore for the moon landing,

特氟龙本用于阿波罗号的宇航员登月穿的宇航服

in pipes and valves used in the Manhattan Project,

用于曼哈顿计划（原子弹制造）的管道中

and maybe in your kitchen as the nonstick coating on frying pans and cookie sheets.

还存在于你厨房中的不粘锅和饼干纸上

So what is this slippery solid, and why doesn't anything stick to it?

所以这种滑滑的固体到底是什么呢？ 而为什么其他东西都粘不上去呢？

Teflon is a brand name for polytetrafluoroethylene,

特氟龙的另一个名字是 聚四氟乙烯

or PTFE.

或称PTFE

It was stumbled upon accidentally in 1938 by a 27-year-old American chemist

它的出现全因为发生在1938年 27岁的美国化学家造成的一场意外

named Roy Plunkett

他的名字叫做 Roy Plunkett

while he was trying to develop a non-toxic refrigerant fluid for DuPont,

当时他正在为杜邦公司 开发一种无毒制冷剂

a chemicals company.

那是一家化学公司

The strange, white substance that formed inside his lab canister

这种奇怪的，白色的物质 在他的实验室罐中出现

was chemically inert,

是惰性的化学物质

meaning it wouldn't react with other substances.

就是它不会与其他物质产生反应

It also had an extremely low coefficient of friction,

它还有一个非常低的摩擦系数，

making other materials slide right off it.

让其他物质都从它旁边滑走

Teflon's properties make it perfect when you need something slippery,

特氟龙的特质帮助了 当人们需要滑滑的东西

chemical resistant,

耐化学性

or waterproof,

或是防水性

which means it has a lot of applications.

这代表了它有许多可用之地

It can be found all over the place,

可以在很多地方找到它的身影

as a coating on raincoats,

雨衣上的防水层

industrial ball bearings,

工业球支座

artificial joints,

人工关节

circuit boards,

电线板

and even the Rocky Mountains-themed roof of the Denver International Airport.

甚至是丹佛国际机场的 落基山脉主题屋顶上

The incredible properties of PTFE come from its molecular structure.

PTFE的特质是因为 它的分子结构

It's a polymer,

它是一个聚合物

meaning it's made of long chains of repeating units of atoms strung together.

说明它是由一串相同的原子聚集

A PTFE chain has a backbone of carbon atoms,

一个PTFE链有碳原子的主链

each of which is attached to two fluorines.

每一个碳原子还连接两个氟原子

The fluorine atoms surround the carbon like armor,

围绕着碳原子的氟原子就像是盔甲一样

spiraling around the chain,

在链边旋绕

and the bond between carbon and fluorine is incredibly tight.

碳原子和氟原子之间的纽带很紧

Like a couple that ignores everyone except each other,

就像一对无视他人的情侣

carbon and fluorine interact so strongly

碳原子和氟原子强烈地相互作用

that the normal, intermolecular forces that help substances stick to each other

造成正常的，作用于分子间的力 来帮助物质黏在一起

don't stand a chance.

根本不起作用

Even the famously adhesive feet of geckos usually can't get a grip.

就连以有着胶脚的壁虎 都粘不上去

But wait!

但，等等！

If PTFE doesn't stick to anything,

如果PTFE粘不上任何东西

how can it be so firmly attached to something like a pan?

它们是怎么粘到铁锅上形成不粘锅的呢？

One method involves sandblasting the pan

一种方式是把铁锅喷砂

or etching it with chemicals to make it rough.

或用化学物质腐蚀使之粗糙

Then, a special primer is applied, which acts like glue.

而后， 一种特殊的底漆会被涂上 作用为一种胶水

Its exact composition is a trade secret guarded by each manufacturer.

它的主要成分是每个制造商保存的商业机密

The pan is sprayed with liquid PTFE

铁锅会被喷上液体的PTFE

and heated to around 800 degrees Fahrenheit.

并在800华氏温度下加热

The layers then solidify into a smooth, slick coating.

然后这层会固化成光滑的涂层

When you later cook eggs in this PTFE-coated pan,

当而后你在PTFE层上面煎鸡蛋时

the extra tight carbon-fluorine bonds

其中的紧密的碳氟链

just ignore the water and fat and protein molecules in the eggs.

会无视鸡蛋中的 水，脂肪和蛋白质分子

Without those interactions,

没有了这些反应

the food just slides around without sticking.

食物就不会黏在锅子上

You might wonder if it's safe to cook in a PTFE-coated pan.

你也许会担心是否用有PTFE层的锅 烧饭会不会不安全

The answer is yes, if you're careful.

答案是，如果你当心的话，是非常安全的

PTFE is stable at moderate temperatures, like you'd use to cook eggs or fish,

PTFE在中等温度下是稳定的 就像你在炒鸡蛋或是做鱼时

but above 500 degrees Fahrenheit, it starts to degrade,

但是，达到500华氏温度以上 PTFE会开始降解

and heating it further releases fumes that can make you feel sick.

而过度得加热 会发出令人不适的烟味

An empty pan can reach 500 degrees fast over high heat,

一个空锅能在高温下快速达到500度

but most kitchens are ventilated well enough to dissipate the fumes.

但是大多的厨房 都有通风渠道来驱散烟雾

People used to also think that accidentally consuming PTFE

人们过去也认为意外摄入PTFE

that flaked off a scratched pan was bad for you,

从锅中剥落的PTFE层

but the current consensus is that it's harmless.

但目前的共识是，它是无害的

Because PTFE doesn't interact with other chemicals very well,

因为PTFE并不会与其他化学物质 产生反应

it isn't thought to break down inside your body.

它不会在你身体中分解

Whether it's safe to manufacture Teflon is another story.

然而，特氟龙的生产是否安全就是另当别论了

DuPont and its spin-off company Chemours

杜邦和它的附属公司Chemourus

now face lawsuits worth millions of dollars.

现在面临价值数百万美元的诉讼

They've been accused of polluting the environment for decades

他们被起诉几十年来污染环境

and exposing employees and local communities

并将员工和当地社区暴露在

to health risks associated with a toxic chemical called PFOA.

与PFOA一种有毒的化学物质接触 健康危险中

That chemical was involved in manufacturing Teflon.

在生产特氟龙是 这种化学物质会被用到

As for John Gotti,

再说到John Gotti

in 1992, the Mob boss was finally convicted of five counts of murder,

在1992年，这位黑手党老大 最终被判有五项谋杀罪

among other charges.

和其他的一些指控

That prompted the head of the FBI office in New York City to announce,

所以FBI在纽约的主任说

"The Teflon is gone.

“特氟龙先生已经捉拿归案”

The don is covered in Velcro, and all the charges stuck."

“这位先生全身都有魔术贴， 所有的指控都会黏上去。”