The discovery of Teflon was made by chemist Roy J. Plunkett in 1938. While working at DuPont's Jackson Laboratory in New Jersey, Plunkett was researching refrigerant gases, specifically tetrafluoroethylene (TFE). On April 6, 1938, a cylinder of TFE gas unexpectedly polymerized into a white, waxy solid when it failed to discharge. Plunkett and his assistant cut open the cylinder and found this new material, later named polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), which was highly heat resistant, chemically inert, and extremely slippery. This accidental discovery led to the development of Teflon, a material widely known for its nonstick and heat-resistant properties. Plunkett's work revolutionized the plastics industry and Teflon became a key material in numerous applications from cookware to aerospace.