NVIDIA is reportedly evaluating polytetrafluoroethylene, or PTFE, the same material used in the Teflon brand, for the development of future Rubin Ultra NVLink switch boards. It is also considering the use of the material in making a next-generation midplane that connects boards in an orthogonal arrangement.
What Is PTFE?
As mentioned, PTFE is the same non-stick material made famous by Teflon, through non-stick pots and pans. Chemically, the material is extremely resistant to most compounds and chemicals, acids, and solvents. It is also able to withstand extreme temperatures ranging between -240°C and 260°C.
Beyond cooking utensils, PTFE is also used in other industries, including industrial and plumbing, as well as the medical and aerospace industries.
Why Is NVIDIA Considering It?
The reason NVIDIA is considering PTFE for its future NVLink switch boards is that it is a potential material to significantly reduce signal loss through a PCB substrate. Industry analysts have already noted that even the current advanced M9-class laminates aren’t able to meet NVIDIA’s most demanding projected channel-loss targets for boards exceeding 70 layers.
“In AI systems, multiple GPUs exchange large volumes of data, so the interconnect bandwidth between GPUs is critical. NVIDIA’s Vera Rubin platform, announced in January 2026, is said to offer NVLink 6 bandwidth of 3.6 TB/s per GPU and 260 TB/s across the entire Vera Rubin NVL72 rack. “
But the application of PTFE into its NVLink Switch Boards may not be as straightforward.
The Non-Stick Problem: Why NVIDIA Hasn’t Implemented It
The nature of PTFE is also one of the biggest hurdles for implementation for NVIDIA. Because it bonds poorly with other materials, the GPU brand will undoubtedly suffer complications with the lamination process, which is central to building multilayer PCBs.
PTFE is also comparatively soft, making it prone to dimensional instability, thus making it difficult when it comes to drilling, copper plating, and lamination control.
(Source: Xeno Spectrum, Gadget Review)
