Of course, it’s not only the flipping you have to get just right. You really need the right equipment to do the job too, and that’s where ‘non-stick’ technology comes into play.
In 1938, scientists at a company called DuPont, accidentally discovered a polymer compound. Its name is polytetrafluoroethene, or PTFE, but the name you’ll know it by is its trade name, which is Teflon. It certainly helps Pancake Day go with a flip as it stops pancakes (and other food) sticking to the bottom of the frying pan. But what makes Teflon so special?
Teflon is a very versatile material. It is unreactive, heat resistant, and has a melting point of 327 ºC. It is flexible, but tough, it doesn’t absorb moisture and it doesn’t rust. But the thing that makes Teflon so special is that it has the lowest coefficient of friction of any solid material known to man. In simple terms, this means things won’t stick to it, which is why it is used as a non-stick coating for frying pans.
Would you believe that in 1969, Teflon featured in the space suits, blankets, heat shields and insulation of the lunar module in which Neil Armstrong and his colleagues landed on the moon? The Teflon formed a protective layer to prevent the space suits from getting scraped. Back on earth, these days you can even wear Teflon fabric protector to protect your clothes from dirt and spills!
So that’s your equipment and technique sorted for Pancake Day. All you need now is the topping. Most people’s favourite topping is lemon juice and sugar, so you should have plenty of ingredients in the cupboard for the following experiment...
