ELI5, why won’t fluoroantimonic acid dissolve teflon?

Question

I’ve learned fluoroantimonic acid will dissolve anything that isn’t teflon… but why teflon specifically? Why not something denser, with a higher melting point, or stronger atomic structure?

In: 3

Answer 1

Fluorine-based acids tend to fluoridate their victims. They add a fluoride ion and this creates soluble products, often salts.

Teflon is as fluoridated as it gets. You can’t add more. If you can’t add more, then what’s the acid going to do?