EC Conference | Understanding PFAS and Reformulating PFAS-free Coatings

In today’s competitive coatings industry, there is an increased demand for high-performance coatings that meet stringent regulatory standards and address sustainability concerns. This has put immense pressure on paint formulators to develop innovative solutions that balance both performance and environmental considerations.

There are several established chemicals that have historically been instrumental in influencing surface activity for formulations across multiple industries, including coatings. Recently however, some of these chemicals have been investigated as substances of high concern mainly due to their environmental persistence. The search for alternatives for these products without compromising performance has been an ongoing challenge for product development teams and researchers.

BASF has overcome these technical and sustainability challenges by developing a new generation of silicone-modified polyacrylate leveling agents for industrial and automotive coatings under the RDY range, which encompasses other sustainable additives.

This new technology offers exceptional leveling performance, ensuring a smooth and even surface finish. Additionally, these additives are excellent at substrate wetting, allowing for better adhesion to various substrates. The anti-crater performance is also notable, as they help prevent the formation of surface defects. Lastly, they do not compromise on intercoat adhesion, enabling multiple layers of coatings to be applied even in high bake applications.

We at BASF have also recently introduced new sustainable defoamers, covering broad application fields like general industrial and furniture and flooring coatings. The products are offering very efficient deaeration, excellent value in use in solvent-based paints and coatings and are universally applicable.

These new levelling agents and defoamers not only address the current demands for high-performance coatings but are also aligned with the growing emphasis on sustainability.

Are you RDY to formulate the future?

The European Chemicals Agency’s (ECHA) proposal to ban more than 12,000 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has sparked debate about the potential economic, industrial, health and environmental impacts. While some PFAS are recognized as harmful, a broad ban could pose significant challenges in the transition to alternative materials for environmental sustainability, as well as in medical devices, technology and everyday consumer products. A rush to replace PFAS-based materials could inadvertently introduce less controlled alternatives, as the shortened timeline for toxicological evaluations could compromise safety assessments. PFAS encompass a wide range of substances characterized by toxicological activity, mechanisms of action, biopersistence, and bioaccumulation potential that vary widely and require an individualized approach to each substance rather than treating them as a homogeneous group. This distinction is particularly important for fluoropolymers, which are non-toxic and should be classified as polymers of low concern. New bioremediation methods can provide a sustainable and effective solution to the global PFAS contamination problem.Amongst others, PFAS are/were used in coating formulations to create hydrophobic and oleophobic properties, leading to water and ice repellent, anti-contamination, and easy-to-clean surfaces. Additionally, tribological properties can be achieved . The presentation summarizes test results for PFAS-based coatings and compares the properties with PFAS-free approaches . The formulation of PFAS-free substitutes is tailored specifically to the application. Emphasis is placed on roughness and contact angle measurements as basic and easy to access evaluation criteria. Results shall give an impression about the potentials of substitutes and identify gaps and future needs for developments.

Amongst others, PFAS are/were used in coating formulations to create hydrophobic and oleophobic properties, leading to water and ice repellent, anti-contamination, and easy-to-clean surfaces. Additionally, tribological properties can be achieved . The presentation summarizes test results for PFAS-based coatings and compares the properties with PFAS-free approaches . The formulation of PFAS-free substitutes is tailored specifically to the application. Emphasis is placed on roughness and contact angle measurements as basic and easy to access evaluation criteria. Results shall give an impression about the potentials of substitutes and identify gaps and future needs for developments.

Protective coatings need to be resilient and tough. These coatings encounter many elements of weathering – photo-irradiation, moisture changes, wind, rain, chemicals, pollution, and whatever else life decides to throw at us. There is an immense global pressure for companies to keep assets in service longer by increasing performance, all compounded by ever-changing environmental and sustainability regulations. To address these challenges, formulators are on the hunt to find a resin that is not a material of concern and can provide maximum gloss retention and appearance. Eastman has developed a novel TMCD-based hyperdurable resin that delivers exceptional weatherability and maintains appearance at 10,000 hours of accelerated weathering testing. This resin can contain certified recycled content for liquid applications for those seeking more sustainable solutions. This paper will showcase the exceptional weatherability of this unique resin and compare the performance to incumbent resins such as commercially available acrylics, polyesters and fluoroethylene vinyl ether (FEVE) along with blending suggestions for those applications required to use FEVE and want to limit their usage but not compromise on performance.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been widely used in various industries due to their exceptional properties, including resistance to water, oil and chemical and thermal stability. However, their environmental persistence and potential health risks have led to increasing regulatory pressures and a search for safer alternatives. Organically modified ceramics (ORMOCERs) have emerged as a promising replacement for PFAS-containing materials. This talk reviews the current state-of-the-art in this hybrid coatings, highlighting their potential as a viable substitute. The unique properties, such as their chemical versatility, durability, and eco-friendliness, are discussed. Challenges in their development and application are identified, including the need for improved performance in extreme conditions and scalability of production processes. Also opportunities for innovation are presented, particularly in tailoring the products compositions to meet specific industrial needs.

Due to increasing awareness that PFAS cause environmental and health issues, the interest in replacing PFAS in coatings has raised accordingly. However, it also has become clear that there is no one-to-one replacement, requiring application-related PFAS-free solutions. The use of plasma technology for environmentally benign durable water repellent (DWR) surfaces currently based on PFAS is discussed showing options and limitations. Regarding the physicochemical properties of fluorocarbons, methyl-functionalized siloxanes are the best candidates for PFAS-free coatings. Plasma processing, functionality, industrial feasibility as well as environmental aspects are considered to show novel ways for PFAS-free coatings.

PTFE-based powders are highly effective additives for improving surface lubricity, durability, and temperature resistance, but emerging regulatory restrictions for PFAS substances have driven many coating formulators to qualify alternate products. This presentation will describe a commercial portfolio of over 10 novel additive technologies based on both highly engineered nanocomposite particles and natural, biobased materials. Comparative test data will demonstrate equal or improved performance vs. classic PTFE-based additives in both liquid and powder coating systems.

Regulators confirm that fluoropolymers are safe, critical and largely irreplaceable. Then why are they included in the scope of PFAS restriction proposal? – due to concerns on non-polymeric PFAS emissions during the lifecycle of fluoropolymers. This presentation highlights progress in manufacturing technology and recently published data confirming complete mineralization of fluoropolymers during standard incineration process conditions, both resulting in minimizing non-polymeric PFAS emissions.