82-595: The Millennium Dome Show was a multimedia theatrical performance created to commemorate the year 2000 in the Millennium Dome in London, England . Peter Gabriel composed the music, which was later made available as his eleventh studio album OVO . The show was performed in the middle of the Dome, opened on 1 January 2000 and was performed 999 times before its closing on 31 December of that year. The Story of OVO
164-516: A density of about 2200 kg/m and a melting point of 600 K (327 °C; 620 °F). It maintains high strength, toughness and self-lubrication at low temperatures down to 5 K (−268.2 °C; −450.7 °F), and good flexibility at temperatures above 194 K (−79.15 °C; −110.5 °F). PTFE gains its properties from the aggregate effect of carbon-fluorine bonds , as do all fluorocarbons. The only chemicals known to affect these carbon-fluorine bonds are highly reactive metals like
246-591: A material to coat valves and seals in the pipes holding highly reactive uranium hexafluoride at the vast K-25 uranium enrichment plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee . In 1954, Colette Grégoire urged her husband, the French engineer Marc Grégoire, to try the material he had been using on fishing tackle on her cooking pans. He subsequently created the first PTFE-coated, non-stick pans under the brand name Tefal (combining "Tef" from "Teflon" and "al" from aluminium). In
328-645: A minimal loss of performance over the lifetime of the gasket. PTFE is an ultraviolet (UV) transparent polymer. However, when exposed to an excimer laser beam it severely degrades due to heterogeneous photothermal effect . Processing PTFE can be difficult and expensive because its high melting temperature, 327 °C (621 °F), is above its decomposition temperature. Even when molten, PTFE does not flow due to its exceedingly high melt-viscosity. The viscosity and melting point can be decreased by inclusion of small amount of comonomers such as perfluoro (propylvinyl ether) and hexafluoropropylene (HFP). These cause
410-715: A number of artworks specially commissioned from contemporary British artists. A piece by Gavin Turk was sold for far below his auction price, though Turk stated that he did not think the piece had worked. The Timekeepers of the Millennium attraction was acquired by the Chessington World of Adventures theme park in Surrey . A unique record of the memorabilia and paraphernalia of the Millennium Experience
492-528: A research centre and extension of the Science Museum ; this proposal only came to light when released by The National Archives in 2022. In December 2001, it was announced that Meridian Delta Ltd had been chosen by the government to develop the Dome as a sports and entertainment centre, and to develop housing, shops and offices on 150 acres (0.61 km ) of surrounding land. It also hoped to relocate some of London's tertiary education establishments to
574-583: A single mass. The most common use of PTFE, consuming about 50% of production, is for the insulation of wiring in aerospace and computer applications (e.g. hookup wire, coaxial cables). This application exploits the fact that PTFE has excellent dielectric properties, specifically low group velocity dispersion , especially at high radio frequencies , making it suitable for use as an excellent insulator in connector assemblies and cables , and in printed circuit boards used at microwave frequencies. Combined with its high melting temperature, this makes PTFE
656-401: A surfactant is the primary means of keeping PTFE in an aqueous medium. Surfactants in the past have included toxic perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). More recently, Perfluoro 3,6 dioxaoctanoic acid (PFO2OA) and FRD-903 (GenX) are being used as alternative surfactants. PTFE is a thermoplastic polymer , which is a white solid at room temperature, with
738-553: A vast temporary plastic bowl, erected from the aggregate contribution of the poor through the National Lottery. Despite the spin, it remains a massive pantheon to the human ego, the Ozymandias of its time. Bob Marshall-Andrews MP, Sunday Times 1 February 1998 The project was largely reported by the press to have been a failure. During 2000, the organisers repeatedly asked for, and received, more cash from
820-406: A weight differential in his test cylinder, brought it to the attention of Roy Plunkett. The chemists in the lab sawed the bottle apart and found the bottle's interior coated with a waxy white material that was oddly slippery. Analysis showed that it was polymerized perfluoroethylene, with the iron from the inside of the container having acted as a catalyst at high pressure. Kinetic Chemicals patented
902-413: A £6 million-per-year deal with telecommunications company O2 plc, now a subsidiary of Telefónica Europe . This announcement, which presaged a major redevelopment of the site that retained little beyond the shell of the dome, gave publicity to the dome's transition into an entertainment district including an indoor arena, a music club, a cinema, an exhibition space and bars and restaurants. This redevelopment
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#1732776011696984-433: Is hydrophobic : neither water nor water-containing substances wet PTFE, as fluorocarbons exhibit only small London dispersion forces due to the low electric polarizability of fluorine. PTFE has one of the lowest coefficients of friction of any solid. Polytetrafluoroethylene is used as a non-stick coating for pans and other cookware. It is non-reactive, partly because of the strength of carbon–fluorine bonds , so it
1066-535: Is a brand of expanded PTFE (ePTFE), a material incorporating a fluoropolymer membrane with micropores. The roof of the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis , US, was one of the largest applications of PTFE coatings. 20 acres (81,000 m ) of the material was used in the creation of the white double-layered PTFE-coated fiberglass dome. Because of its extreme non-reactivity and high temperature rating, PTFE
1148-430: Is a synthetic fluoropolymer of tetrafluoroethylene , and has numerous applications because it is chemically inert . The commonly known brand name of PTFE-based composition is Teflon by Chemours , a spin-off from DuPont , which originally discovered the compound in 1938. Polytetrafluoroethylene is a fluorocarbon solid, as it is a high- molecular-weight polymer consisting wholly of carbon and fluorine . PTFE
1230-586: Is considered a minor exposure pathway to PFOA. As a result of the lawsuits concerning the PFOA class-action lawsuit , DuPont began to use GenX, a similarly fluorinated compound, as a replacement for perfluorooctanoic acid in the manufacture of fluoropolymers , such as Teflon-brand PTFE. However, the EPA has classified GenX as more toxic than PFOA and it has proven to be a “regrettable substitute”; its effects may be equally harmful or even more detrimental than those of
1312-563: Is held by a private collector in the United States. Many of the fixtures and fittings were also purchased by Paul Scally , chairman of Gillingham F.C. , for the club's stadium. The Dome opened again during December 2003 for the Winter Wonderland 2003 experience. The event, which featured a large funfair , ice rink, and other attractions, culminated in a laser and firework display on New Year's Eve. It also served as
1394-844: Is no longer being made in the United States. PTFE was added to the Living Building Challenge (LBC) Red List in 2016. The Red List bans substances prevalent in the building industry that pose serious risks to human health and the environment from construction that seeks to meet the criteria of the Living Building Challenge (LBC). Sodium trifluoroacetate and the similar compound sodium chlorodifluoroacetate can both be generated when PTFE undergoes thermolysis , as well as producing longer chain polyfluoro- and/or polychlorofluoro- (C3-C14) carboxylic acids which may be equally persistent. These products can accumulate in evaporative wetlands and have been found in
1476-568: Is notable for its extremely low coefficient of friction, its hydrophobia (which serves to inhibit rust), and for the dry film it forms after application, which allows it to resist collecting particles that might otherwise form an abrasive paste. Brands include GT85, Tri-Flow and WD-40 Specialist. PTFE is best known for its use in coating non-stick frying pans and other cookware, as it is hydrophobic and possesses fairly high heat resistance. The sole plates of some clothes irons are coated with PTFE. Other niche applications include: While PTFE
1558-403: Is often used as the liner in hose assemblies, expansion joints , and in industrial pipe lines, particularly in applications using acids, alkalis, or other chemicals. Its frictionless qualities allow improved flow of highly viscous liquids and for uses in applications such as brake hoses. PTFE architectural membranes are created by coating a woven glass-fibre base cloth with PTFE, forming one of
1640-669: Is often used in containers and pipework for reactive and corrosive chemicals. Where used as a lubricant , PTFE reduces friction, wear, and energy consumption of machinery. It is used as a graft material in surgery and as a coating on catheters . PTFE and chemicals used in its production are some of the best-known and widely applied PFAS , which are persistent organic pollutants . PTFE occupies more than half of all fluoropolymer production, followed by polyvinylidene fluoride (PVdF) . For decades, DuPont used perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA, or C8) during production of PTFE, later discontinuing its use due to legal actions over ecotoxicological and
1722-439: Is stable at lower temperatures, it begins to deteriorate at temperatures of about 260 °C (500 °F), it decomposes above 350 °C (662 °F), and pyrolysis occurs at temperatures above 400 °C (752 °F). The main decomposition products are fluorocarbon gases and a sublimate , including tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) and difluorocarbene radicals (RCF2). An animal study conducted in 1955 concluded that it
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#17327760116961804-440: Is typically initiated with persulfate , which homolyzes to generate sulfate radicals: The resulting polymer is terminated with sulfate ester groups, which can be hydrolyzed to give OH end-groups . Granular PTFE is produced via suspension polymerization, where PTFE is suspended in an aqueous medium primarily via agitation and sometimes with the use of a surfactant. PTFE is also synthesized via emulsion polymerization, where
1886-571: Is unlikely that these products would be generated in amounts significant to health at temperatures below 250 °C (482 °F). Above those temperatures the degradation by-products can be lethal to birds , and can cause flu-like symptoms in humans ( polymer fume fever ), although in humans those symptoms disappear within a day or two of being moved to fresh air. Most cases of polymer fume fever in humans occur due to smoking PTFE-contaminated tobacco, although cases have occurred in people who have welded near PTFE components. PTFE-coated cookware
1968-434: Is unlikely to reach dangerous temperatures with normal use, as meat is usually fried between 204 and 232 °C (399 and 450 °F), and most cooking oils (except refined safflower and avocado oils) start to smoke before a temperature of 260 °C (500 °F) is reached. A 1973 study by DuPont's Haskell Laboratory found that a 4-hour exposure to the fumes emitted by PTFE cookware heated to 280 °C (536 °F)
2050-500: Is usually measured against polished steel. PTFE's coefficient of friction is 0.05 to 0.10, which is the third-lowest of any known solid material ( aluminium magnesium boride (BAM) being the lowest, with a coefficient of friction of 0.02; diamond-like carbon being second-lowest at 0.05). PTFE's resistance to van der Waals forces means that it is the only known surface to which a gecko cannot stick. In addition, PTFE can be used to prevent insects from climbing up surfaces painted with
2132-543: The 2012 Summer Paralympics . For sponsorship reasons, during those times the arena was temporarily renamed the North Greenwich Arena. The O2 now contains multiple VR theme park rides, a trampoline park, and an attraction called "Up at The O2," offering guided climbs on the O2 arena. Issues related to the Dome damaged the political careers of government ministers Peter Mandelson and John Prescott . The scheme
2214-652: The Millennium Commission , the Lottery body which supported it. There where numerous changes at management and board level, before and during the exhibition; Jennifer Page was sacked as chief executive of the New Millennium Experience Company just one month after the dome's opening. The project came to be seen as closely aligned with Tony Blair 's New Labour , making its success or failure politically important. Part of
2296-807: The Royal Mint , the 1951 Festival of Britain Bus, and the Millennium Star Jewels (focus of the failed Millennium Diamond heist . ) Outside was the Millennium Map (thirteen metres; 43' high), the Childhood Cube, Looking Around (a hidden installation), Greenwich Pavilion, the Hanging Gardens at the front of the Dome, as well as a number of other art installations and sculptures. Two of the remaining art installations form
2378-476: The alkali metals , at higher temperatures such metals as aluminium and magnesium, and fluorinating agents such as xenon difluoride and cobalt(III) fluoride . At temperatures above 650–700 °C (1,200–1,290 °F) PTFE undergoes depolymerization. However, it begins to decompose at about 260 °C (500 °F) through 350 °C (662 °F), and pyrolysis occurs at temperatures above 400 °C (752 °F). The coefficient of friction of plastics
2460-536: The death of Diana, Princess of Wales , a member of the Dome's board suggested the project be refashioned and extended "to accommodate, for example, a hospital, businesses, charities, private residences, and the whole thing named 'the Princess Diana Centre ' ". The idea was later scrapped. Before its opening, the Dome was excoriated in Iain Sinclair 's diatribe, Sorry Meniscus – Excursions to
2542-460: The electrostatic analogues of permanent magnets . PTFE film is also widely used in the production of carbon fiber composites as well as fiberglass composites, notably in the aerospace industry. PTFE film is used as a barrier between the carbon or fiberglass part being built and, in breather and bagging materials, is used to incapsulate the bondment when debulking (vacuum removal of air from between layers of laid-up plies of material) and when curing
Millennium Dome Show - Misplaced Pages Continue
2624-438: The health effects of exposure to PFOA . Dupont's spin-off Chemours today manufactures PTFE using an alternative chemical it calls GenX , another PFAS. Although GenX was designed to be less persistent in the environment compared to PFOA, it has proven to be a “regrettable substitute.” Its effects may be equally harmful or even more detrimental than those of the chemical it was meant to replace. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)
2706-467: The 12 million customers its sponsors forecasted, and so were deemed a failure by the press. All the original exhibition elements were sold or dismantled. In a 2005 report, the cost of the Dome and surrounding land (which increased to 170 acres from the initial offering of the 48 acres enclosed by the Dome) and managing the Dome until the deal was closed was £28.7 million. The value of the 48 acres occupied by
2788-429: The 1990s, PTFE was not known to crosslink like an elastomer , due to its chemical inertness. Therefore, it has no "memory" and is subject to creep . Because of the propensity to creep, the long-term performance of such seals is worse than for elastomers that exhibit zero, or near-zero, levels of creep. In critical applications, Belleville washers are often used to apply continuous force to PTFE gaskets, thereby ensuring
2870-537: The 1990s, it was found that PTFE could be radiation cross-linked above its melting point in an oxygen-free environment. Electron beam processing is one example of radiation processing. Cross-linked PTFE has improved high-temperature mechanical properties and radiation stability. That was significant because, for many years, irradiation at ambient conditions has been used to break down PTFE for recycling. This radiation-induced chain scission allows it to be more easily reground and reused. Corona discharge treatment of
2952-562: The 72 segments containing two panels. Its symmetry is interrupted by a hole through which a ventilation shaft from the Blackwall Tunnel rises. Six segments were destroyed during Storm Eunice on 18 February 2022. Built in 15 months, the dome structure was delivered under budget, at a cost of £43m. The critic Jonathan Meades has scathingly referred to the Millennium Dome as a "Museum of Toxic Waste", and apart from
3034-458: The Dome was estimated at £48 million, which could have been realised by demolishing the structure, but it was considered preferable to preserve the Dome. The structure itself still exists and is now a key exterior feature of The O2 . The Prime Meridian passes the western edge of the Dome and the nearest London Underground station is North Greenwich on the Jubilee line . The dome is one of
3116-455: The Dome was open to the public for the whole of 2000, and contained a large number of attractions and exhibits. The English musician Peter Gabriel issued in 2000 The Story of OVO which was released in a CD-booklet-shaped comic book as part of the CD edition with the title " OVO The Millennium Show ". The story of the 2000 Millennium Dome Show based on it. The show opened on 1 January 2000 and
3198-430: The Dome would be "a triumph of confidence over cynicism, boldness over blandness, excellence over mediocrity". In the words of BBC correspondent Robert Orchard, "the Dome was to be highlighted as a glittering New Labour achievement in the next election manifesto", but criticised in the 2001 Conservative Party manifesto as "banal, anonymous and rootless", and lacking "a sense of Britain's history or culture". Following
3280-399: The Dome) and managing the Dome until the deal was closed was £28.7 million. £33 million were expected to be returned to the taxpayer by 2009. The value of the 48 acres occupied by the Dome was estimated at £48 million, which could have been realised by demolishing the structure, but it was considered preferable to preserve the Dome. The dome was publicly renamed as The O2 on 31 May 2005, in
3362-473: The Dome, but they were considered to have too small a fan base to make this feasible. The Dome was planned to take over the functions performed by the London Arena after its closure. This is the function which The O2 Arena has now undertaken. After a private opening on the evening of 31 December 1999, including a New Year's Eve celebration attended by Queen Elizabeth II , the Millennium Experience at
Millennium Dome Show - Misplaced Pages Continue
3444-469: The Millennium Dome (Profile Books: London 1999, ISBN 1-86197-179-6 ), which forecast the hype, the associated political posturing, and the eventual disillusion. The post-exhibition plan had been to convert the Dome into a European football stadium which would last for 25 years: Charlton Athletic at one point considered a possible move but instead chose to redevelop their own stadium. Local team Fisher Athletic were at one time interested in moving to
3526-585: The UK was invited to perform a show of their devising which characterised their area and its people. As well as the above, the first ever series of Techno Games was filmed there and shown on BBC Two the same year. There were a number of other attractions both in and outside of The Dome. Inside the Dome there was a play area named Timekeepers of the Millennium (featuring the characters Coggsley and Sprinx), The Millennium Coin Minting Press in association with
3608-484: The United Kingdom's most recognisable landmarks, and can be easily identified on satellite images of London. The architect was Richard Rogers and the contractor was a joint venture company, McAlpine/Laing Joint Venture (MLJV) formed between Sir Robert McAlpine and Laing Management. The building structure was engineered by Buro Happold , and the entire roof structure weighs less than the air contained within
3690-410: The United States, Marion A. Trozzolo , who had been using the substance on scientific utensils, marketed the first US-made PTFE-coated pan, "The Happy Pan", in 1961. Non-stick cookware has since become a common household product, now offered by hundreds of manufacturers across the world. The brand name Zepel was used for promoting its stain-resistance and water-resistance when applied to fabrics. In
3772-643: The area beginning in 1976 with the production of Nafion, and that PFAS including GenX had been released as a byproduct of the production of Vinyl Ethers since 1980, exposing the Cape Fear Basin for decades. A small nonprofit called Cape Fear River Watch sued NC DEQ for not taking swifter and stronger action, and sued the polluter, Chemours, for violations of the Clean Water Act and the Toxic Substances Control Act. The result
3854-461: The blood of people who work in or live near factories where the chemical is used, and in people regularly exposed to PFOA-containing products such as some ski waxes and stain-resistant fabric coatings, but non-stick cookware was not found to be a major source of exposure, as the PFOA is burned off during the manufacturing process and not present in the finished product. Non-stick coated cookware has not been manufactured using PFOA since 2013, and PFOA
3936-627: The building. Although referred to as a dome it is "not a dome in the structural sense [...] In this building, a dome-shaped cable network is supported on a ring of [...] masts". It has been disparagingly referred to as the Millennium Tent. The canopy is 52 metres (170 ft) high in the middle – one metre (3.3 ft) for each week of the year and is made of durable and weather-resistant PTFE -coated glass fibre fabric panels (original plans to use PVC-coated polyester fabric were dropped after protest led by Greenpeace ), with each of
4018-648: The chemical it was meant to replace. The chemicals are manufactured by Chemours , a corporate spin-off of DuPont, in Fayetteville, North Carolina . Fayetteville Works was the site where DuPont began manufacture of PFOA after the lawsuit in Parkersburg WV halted their production there. When EPA asked companies to voluntarily phase out PFOA production, it was replaced by GenX in Fayetteville Works. In June of 2017, The Wilmington Star-News broke
4100-424: The composite, usually in an autoclave. The PTFE, used here as a film, prevents the non-production materials from sticking to the part being built, which is sticky due to the carbon-graphite or fiberglass plies being pre-pregnated with bismaleimide resin. Non-production materials such as Teflon, Airweave Breather, and the bag itself would be considered F.O.D. (foreign object debris/damage) if left in layup. Gore-Tex
4182-412: The dome itself, the project included the reclamation of the entire Greenwich Peninsula. The land was previously derelict and contaminated by toxic sludge from East Greenwich Gas Works that operated from 1889 to 1985. The clean-up operation was seen by the then Deputy Prime Minister Michael Heseltine as an investment that would add a large area of useful land to the crowded capital. The Dome project
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#17327760116964264-605: The dome. With music composed by Peter Gabriel and an acrobatic cast of 160, the Millennium Dome Show was performed 999 times over the course of the year. Throughout the year, the specially-commissioned film Blackadder: Back & Forth was shown in Skyscape (a separate cinema on the site sponsored by BSkyB ). There was also the McDonald's Our Town Story project in which each Local Education Authority in
4346-611: The end of the production and phase out of PFOA and PFOS in the US. The general population has been exposed to PFOA through massive dumping of C8 waste into the ocean and near the Ohio River Valley. PFOA has been detected in industrial waste, stain-resistant carpets, carpet cleaning liquids, house dust , microwave popcorn bags , water, food and PTFE cookware. As a result of a class-action lawsuit and community settlement with DuPont , three epidemiologists conducted studies on
4428-427: The event again. By late 2000, a proposal had been made for a high-tech business park to be erected under the tent area, creating an "indoor city" complete with streets, parks, and buildings. The business park was actually the original 1996 proposal for the site of the peninsula before the plans for the Millennium Dome were proposed. A suggestion was also made that the entire Dome be relocated to Swindon to serve as
4510-461: The feud between their people made it difficult for them to meet. Eventually the earth-people suffered a crushing defeat, which ultimately led them to reconcile and unite with the sky-people. At the end of the show, the lovers flew together into a better future, symbolizing the beginning of the new millennium. This British theatre–related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Millennium Dome The Millennium Dome
4592-418: The general US population in the low and sub- parts per billion range, and levels are higher in chemical plant employees and surrounding subpopulations. PFOA and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) have been estimated to be in every American person's blood stream in the parts per billion range, though those concentrations have decreased by 70% for PFOA and 84% for PFOS between 1999 and 2014, which coincides with
4674-419: The largest of its type in the world. Externally, it appears as a large white marquee with twelve 100-metre-high (330 ft) yellow support towers, one for each month of the year, or each hour of the clock face, representing the role played by Greenwich Mean Time . In plan view it is circular, 365 metres (1,200 ft) (one metre or 39 inches for each day in a standard year) in diameter. It has become one of
4756-514: The material of choice as a high-performance substitute for the weaker, higher dispersion and lower-melting-point polyethylene commonly used in low-cost applications. In industrial applications, owing to its low friction, PTFE is used for plain bearings , gears , slide plates , seals, gaskets, bushings, and more applications with sliding action of parts, where it outperforms acetal and nylon . Its extremely high bulk resistivity makes it an ideal material for fabricating long-life electrets ,
4838-411: The material. For example, PTFE is used to prevent ants from climbing out of formicaria . There are surface treatments for PTFE that alter the surface to allow adhesion to other materials. Because of its chemical and thermal properties, PTFE is often used as a gasket material within industries that require resistance to aggressive chemicals such as pharmaceuticals or chemical processing. However, until
4920-587: The new fluorinated plastic (analogous to the already known polyethylene ) in 1941, and registered the Teflon trademark in 1945. By 1948, DuPont, which founded Kinetic Chemicals in partnership with General Motors , was producing over 910,000 kilograms (2,000,000 lb) of Teflon-brand polytetrafluoroethylene per year in Parkersburg, West Virginia . An early use was in the Manhattan Project as
5002-424: The otherwise perfectly linear PTFE chain to become branched, reducing its crystallinity. Some PTFE parts are made by cold-moulding, a form of compression molding . Here, fine powdered PTFE is forced into a mould under high pressure (10–100 MPa). After a settling period, lasting from minutes to days, the mould is heated at 360 to 380 °C (680 to 716 °F), allowing the fine particles to fuse ( sinter ) into
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#17327760116965084-500: The population of Parkersburg, WV surrounding the (former DuPont) Chemours Washington Works chemical plant that was exposed to PFOA at levels greater than in the general population. The studies concluded that there was an association between PFOA exposure and six health outcomes: kidney cancer , testicular cancer , ulcerative colitis , thyroid disease , hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol), and gestational hypertension (pregnancy-induced high blood pressure). Overall, PTFE cookware
5166-494: The press, visitor feedback was positive; as of August 2000, 87% of visitors said they were satisfied with their visit. It was the most popular admission-paying tourist attraction in 2000, with almost twice as many visitors as the second most visited attraction, Alton Towers . According to the UK National Audit Office , the cost of The Dome at the liquidation of the New Millennium Experience Company in 2002
5248-603: The problem was that the financial predictions were based on an unrealistically high forecast of visitor numbers at 12 million. During the first year that it was open there were approximately 6.5 million visitors – significantly fewer than the approximately 10 million paying visitors that attended the Festival of Britain , which only ran from May to September. Empire Exhibition, Scotland 1938 , held in Glasgow, attracted more than 12 million visitors, being open May to October. Unlike
5330-427: The roots and seeds of wetland plant species, but has not been observed to have an adverse impact on plant health or germination success. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA, or C8) has been used as a surfactant in the emulsion polymerization of PTFE, although several manufacturers have entirely discontinued its use. PFOA persists indefinitely in the environment. PFOA has been detected in the blood of many individuals of
5412-424: The site became the subject of much critical comment. The amount spent on maintaining the closed building was also criticised. Shortly after it had closed, Lord Falconer reported that The Dome was costing over £1 million per month to maintain. Following closure of the Dome, some Zones were dismantled by the sponsoring organisations, but much of the content was auctioned or donated to Disney World. This included
5494-530: The site. Meridian Delta is backed by the American billionaire Philip Anschutz , who has interests in oil, railways, and telecommunications, as well as a string of sports-related investments. A report in 2005 by the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee found that the cost of the process of selling the Dome and surrounding land (which increased to 170 acres from the initial offering of the 48 acres enclosed by
5576-583: The start of The Line, a modern art trail connecting the O2 to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park . At worst it is a millennial metaphor for the twentieth century. An age in which all things, like the Dome itself, became disposable. A century in which forest and cities, marriages, animal species, races, religions and even the Earth itself, became ephemeral. What more cynical monument can there be for this totalitarian cocksure fragile age than
5658-593: The story that GenX was found in the Cape Fear River – the drinking water supply for 500,000 people. The source of the pollution was determined to be the Fayetteville Works site, which had been run by DuPont since its founding in 1971 and then managed by DuPont spinoff, The Chemours Company, since 2015. The water utility confirmed they had no ability to filter these chemicals from the drinking water. The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NC DEQ) records indicate that DuPont started release PFAS into
5740-784: The strongest and most durable materials used in tensile structures . Some notable structures featuring PTFE-tensioned membranes include The O2 Arena in London, Moses Mabhida Stadium in South Africa, Metropolitano Stadium in Spain and the Sydney Football Stadium Roof in Australia. PTFE is often found in musical instrument lubrication products, most commonly valve oil. PTFE is used in some aerosol lubricant sprays, including in micronized and polarized form. It
5822-485: The surface to increase the energy and improve adhesion has been reported. PTFE is produced by free-radical polymerization of tetrafluoroethylene . The net equation is Because tetrafluoroethylene can explosively decompose to tetrafluoromethane ( CF 4 {\textstyle {\ce {CF4}}} ) and carbon, a special apparatus is required for the polymerization to prevent hot spots that might initiate this dangerous side reaction. The process
5904-533: The venue for a number of free music festivals organised by the Mayor of London under the "Respect" banner. Over the 2004 Christmas period, part of the main dome was used as a shelter for the homeless and others in need, organised by the charity Crisis after superseding the London Arena , which had previously hosted the event. In 2005, when work began for the redevelopment of the Dome, the London Arena hosted
5986-465: Was a Consent Order, signed February 25, 2019 by Cape Fear River Watch, NC DEQ, and Chemours. The order has required Chemours to stop wastewater discharge, air emissions, groundwater discharge, sampling and filtration options to well users, and required sampling that proved there were upwards of 300 distinct PFAS compounds being released from Fayetteville Works. The Teflon trade name is also used for other polymers with similar compositions: These retain
6068-539: Was accidentally discovered in 1938 by Roy J. Plunkett while he was working in Chemours Chambers Works plant in New Jersey for DuPont . A team of Dupont chemists attempted to make a new chlorofluorocarbon refrigerant, called tetrafluoroethylene . The gas in its pressure bottle stopped flowing before the bottle's weight had dropped to the point signaling "empty". John J. Beall (chemist), noticing
6150-532: Was conceived, originally on a somewhat smaller scale, under John Major 's Conservative government , as a Festival of Britain or World's Fair -type showcase to celebrate the third millennium . The incoming Labour government elected in 1997 under Tony Blair greatly expanded the size, scope and funding of the project, and construction began in June 1997. It also significantly increased expectations of what would be delivered. Just before its opening Blair claimed
6232-423: Was lethal for parakeets , although that was a higher temperature than the 260 °C (500 °F) required for fumes from pyrolyzed butter to be lethal to the birds. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a chemical formerly used in the manufacture of PTFE products such as non-stick coated cookware, can be carcinogenic for people who are exposed to it (see Ecotoxicity ). Concerning levels of PFOA have been found in
6314-411: Was performed 999 times before closing on 31 December of that year. sponsored by Walt Disney World . The interior space was subdivided into 14 zones : "Who We Are" (Body, Faith, Mind and Self-Portrait), "What We Do" (Work, Learning, Rest, Play, Talk, Money and Journey) and "Where We Live" (Shared Ground, Living Island and Home Planet). Surrounded by the zones was a performance area in the centre of
6396-473: Was released in the CD-shaped comic book which was part of the CD edition of the studio album OVO with the title " OVO The Millennium Show ". The Romeo and Juliet -like story in the show, serving as an allegory for humanity's unity between nature and technology, revolved around a feud between the "earth-people" and the "sky-people". A young boy from the sky and a young girl from the earth fell in love, but
6478-455: Was seen as an early example of what some saw as Tony Blair 's often excessive optimism, who stated at the Dome's opening: "In the Dome we have a creation that, I believe, will truly be a beacon to the world". The fact that Mandelson's grandfather was Herbert Morrison —who as a minister had been involved with the Festival of Britain —was often drawn on for negative comparisons. Polytetrafluoroethylene Polytetrafluoroethylene ( PTFE )
6560-573: Was the original name of the large dome -shaped building on the Greenwich Peninsula in South East London , England, which housed a major exhibition celebrating the beginning of the third millennium . As of 2022, it is the ninth largest building in the world by usable volume . The exhibition was open to the public from 1 January to 31 December 2000. The project and exhibition were highly contentious and attracted barely half of
6642-510: Was undertaken by the dome's new owners, the Anschutz Entertainment Group , to a design by HOK SVE and Buro Happold . It cost £600 million, and the resulting venue opened to the public on 24 June 2007, with a concert by rock band Bon Jovi . During the 2012 Summer Olympics , the artistic gymnastics events, along with the medal rounds of basketball, were held at The O2. It also held wheelchair basketball events during
6724-417: Was £789 million, of which £628 million was covered by National Lottery grants and £189 million through sales of tickets etc. A surplus of £25 million over costs meant that the full lottery grant was not required. The £603 million of lottery money was still £204 million in excess of the original estimate of £399 million required, due to the shortfall in visitor numbers. The government's difficulties in selling
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