I don't use nonstick pans but my parents do.

If I was going to try this it'd be with flax seed oil. Max recommended temp for teflon is 500F (Dupont recommendations). Flax oil's smoke point is around 320, so 400 is plenty hot enough to polymerize it - and safely below 500.

I'd do it like a cast iron pan, though, In the oven (better temp control). Wipe a layer of flax oil on, then put the pan on an oven rack up-side-down, 400F for an hour. Repeat until it looks seasoned, like you do with CI, I guess.Having bought some non-stick pans for my parents, the best ones seem to be made with a process that etches the surface until it has some porosity (like with anodizing). Then the nonstick layer is applied, baked on. then the top layer of non-stick is removed, so you end up with a matrix of base material (usually alu, but I've seen CI done this way) and whatever non-stick was in the pores.

Given CI's poor heat conductivity (large heat differential between there the heat source is and the outer edges) I'm surprised that someone hasn't made fry/saute pans with an outer layer (or bottom disc) of heat conductive material.

I'm shy of cooking on straight aluminum pans, but I'm now wondering if they'd take seasoning the same as CI. Anyone got one to try (preferably a heavy fry or saute) and a spirit of inquiry?