"In 1938, [[Roy Plunkett]], a chemist at [[DuPont]], and his assistant [[Jack Rebok]] formulated [[tetrafluoroethylene]] as a new refrigerant compound. After storing it in refrigerated cylinders, they found that the compound underwent unexpected [[polymerization]], turning into [[polytetrafluoroethylene]], a white, waxy, slippery powder. After the Second World War, [[Teflon]] became one of the best-known synthetic materials, and perhaps the only one that made it into political jargon (we have Teflon presidents, but seemingly no Bakelite presidents—though there was an Iron Lady)." ([Location 1624](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08SGC3TD3&location=1624)) --- **Tags** -- [[quotes]], [[Margaret Thatcher]], [[chemistry]], **Source** -- [[202412030828 - B - How the World Really Works]]