Abstract
Tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) terpolymers have emerged as advantageous substitutes for polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Therefore, they are being considered as alternatives to PTFE in many application areas. The advantages of TFE-based terpolymers include their facile processability at elevated temperatures and their solubility in common organic solvents, while several advantageous properties of PTFE itself are retained. This part of the review on TFE-based terpolymers focuses on their applications and their future potential. As compared to the bulk, TFE-based terpolymers exhibit enhanced properties at solid interfaces and under confinement. Potential application fields of TFE-based terpolymers include microelectronics, microfluidics, membrane technology, and energy storage. Along with the potential applications, the characterization and processing of TFE-based terpolymers are also discussed. The review concludes with a discussion of the future potential of TFE-based terpolymers and scientific challenges to be addressed by future research on TFE-based terpolymers.