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by bwi4 1271 days ago
DuPont discovered PTFE while exploring for new refrigerants. It was used in the Manhattan Project because it could resist flourine used in the gaseous diffusion of uranium, then marketed as Teflon after WWII.

3M discovered PFOS while developing rubber that wouldn't degrade when exposed to jet fuel, then marketed it as Scotchgard.

1 comments

I shudder when I think about how I used to coat every new couch and my shoes with this stuff. No mask when applying. Skin contact for years…