Miniguide: How to choose between silicone and teflon

Are you faced with choosing between silicone or teflon hoses, but unsure which is best suited to your needs? Both silicone and Teflon have unique properties that make them ideal for different applications in many industries. 

Imagine having complete clarity about which material will optimise your production and improve your bottom line. In this article, we guide you through the important considerations you should make when choosing between silicone and teflon hoses. 

Silicone hoses for food and pharmaceutical applications are known for their exceptional flexibility and high temperature tolerance. They are made of silicone rubber, a material known for its good resistance to both heat and cold. Silicone is available in several different colours, including completely transparent, allowing a clear view of the medium. You can therefore also benefit from transparent hoses if you need to perform visual inspection in your process. Silicone hoses are widely used in process industries, often in connection with the production of medicines, cosmetics or in the food industry. 

• Withstands temperatures from -60°C to +200°C, making it ideal for both hot and cold media. 
• The material retains its flexibility even after repeated bending and at low temperatures. 
• Silicone hoses for foodstuffs do not affect the taste or aroma of the product. 
• The smooth surface makes it easy to remove product residues. 
• The hoses are FDA approved and comply with common standards for food contact. 

Teflon hoses, also known as PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) hoses, are known for their chemical resistance and durability. The material makes them highly resistant to a wide range of chemicals, making them an ideal choice for industries that work with highly aggressive chemicals. These include pharmaceutical companies that deal with the dosing of chemicals, acids or bases. With Teflon, you can also benefit from the material's energy-saving properties, which are due, among other things, to the material's low friction. Teflon hoses are a versatile choice for industries within food, chemicals, gas and oil, and are particularly known for being resistant and robust without losing their mechanical properties.   

• Handles temperatures up to +260°C and is suitable for both hot and cold products. 
• The hoses are chemically resistant and withstand acids, bases, solvents and aggressive chemicals. 
• The material is food approved. 
• Products slide through easily, minimising deposits and facilitating cleaning. 

Once you have read about how silicone hoses and teflon hoses (PTFE hoses) work, the next step is to match the material to your specific production needs. Both silicone and Teflon have properties that can make a significant difference to your process, hygiene and operational reliability. 

When choosing between silicone and Teflon as the material for your hoses, you should first and foremost consider your specific needs. 

• Do you need a food-approved hose for hygiene-sensitive applications? 
• Does the hose need to be extra flexible and easy to install, e.g. in bottling plants? 
• Does your medium require chemical resistance to acids, bases or oil? 
• Is there a need to handle extremely high or low temperatures? 

Among our silicone hoses, we recommend that you take a look at our Clearway-SD Platinum silicone hose, suitable for use in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. It is ideal for process applications that require a small bend radius and a high vacuum. The hose is designed for taste- and odour-free transport and covers a temperature range from -60°C to +200°C depending on the medium.  

One of our customers in the beverage industry uses our Clearway-SD Platinum silicone hose as an integral part of their juice production plant. Here, the hose is the preferred choice as it ensures high-quality transport of their juices with taste- and odour-free delivery.  

If your needs place high demands on temperature, pressure and/or chemical exposure, for example with aggressive liquids, we recommend teflon hoses. Here, our corrugated teflon hose is a popular choice among our customers. 

We have previously supplied this type of teflon hose to a customer in the dairy industry who needed a flexible and mobile hose that could be adapted to the filter connection on an existing plant. This hose was chosen because corrugated PTFE makes it suitable for similar tasks and drainage systems, among other things. 

Are you still wondering which tubing best suits your production needs? 

For four decades, we have been advising customers on choosing solutions that match their media, temperature and hygiene requirements. With a wide range of both silicone and teflon hoses, we can help your production find the perfect match for your production. Call +45 7020 0422 or write to inquiry@alfotech.eu, and we will solve it together.