PFAS: Challenges for industry

The group of perfluorinated and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) comprises more than 10,000 chemical compounds that are used in various industrial processes and consumer goods. These are carbon chains of various lengths in which the hydrogen atoms are either completely (perfluorinated) or partially (polyfluorinated) replaced by fluorine atoms. These bonds give PFAS their unique properties. They are chemically very stable and are resistant to heat, chemicals and biodegradation. These properties make them attractive for a wide range of applications.

PFAS are widely used in everyday products such as leisure wear and cosmetics or as coatings for cookware, frying pans, packaging, paints and varnishes. They also play an important role in modern high-tech applications, for example in energy technology, medical technology, photonics and semiconductor technology.

PFAS offer many technical advantages; however, they are also harmful to nature, the environment and health. The unique properties of PFAS make them very durable. If they are released into the environment, they remain there without degrading. This is why they are also referred to as “forever chemicals”. Some compounds continue to accumulate in the environment and enter the human food chain. The European Chemicals Agency ECHA has therefore proposed restricting the manufacture, use and supply of PFAS in the European Union. The procedure for this started in February 2023 and many industries are now looking for alternative materials, that are free of PFAS.

We advise and support small, medium and large companies in making their business fit for the future: with environmentally friendly materials that do not contain PFAS. We also develop technologies to cleanse the environment of PFAS.

We offer:

Fluorine-free materials

• membranes and solid polymer electrolytes for the energy sector
• membranes for solvent filtration
• implant materials for medical technology
• lubricants
• scaling of PFAS alternatives
• advice on development projects
  
  

Technologies for PFAS separation

If PFAS are released into the environment, it is important to decontaminate the polluted water and soil. We develop and improve the materials and processes to do this – for example, for the cost-effective separation of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) from wastewater or groundwater. We are also working on biobased adsorption materials based on polysaccharides. Pollutants such as PFAS bind to these materials and can thus be removed from the environment.

Up until now, PFAS have been indispensable for the success of the energy transition. Electrolyzers for both the production of hydrogen as well as fuel cells and batteries contain membranes made of fluorinated materials. Now, a promising new class of polymers offers an alternative. A research team from Fraunhofer IAP has joined forces with the Center for Fuel Cell Technology ZBT to develop a fluorine-free membrane for water electrolysis based on anion exchange. This membrane makes it possible to reduce the cost of producing electrolyzers and to develop hydrogen into an environmentally friendly, climate-neutral energy source.

more about PFAS-free electrolyzers in the Fraunhofer-magazine 4/2023

“Our membranes allow water electrolyzers to be manufactured with anion exchange membranes that do not require precious metals and contain no perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances. We are thus paving the way for innovative system architectures that are both inexpensive and environmentally friendly.”

Dr. Taybet Bilkay-Troni, Head of the Polymers and Electronics Department at Fraunhofer IAP

PFAS, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) – also known as Teflon – are often added to technically highly stressed plastic components. Lubricant-filled microcapsules are a newly developed technology that make it possible to dispense with PFAS, which are harmful to health and the environment. These microcapsules are filled with non-fluorinated lubricants and can be integrated into various polymers during extrusion. Friction and wear on the component surface break open the microcapsules to release the lubricant. This creates a self-lubricating system. The microcapsules were developed by scientists at Fraunhofer IAP in collaboration with SKZ – Das Kunststoff-Zentrum. In 2023, the German Federation of Industrial Research Associations “Otto von Guericke e.V.” nominated the project team for the Otto von Guericke Prize.