Eco friendly 'green' stain-resistant coatings developed to avoid PFOA
20 Sep '05
5 min read
Fluorotelomers are long-chain (eight carbon) compounds that tend to form a protective layer on fabrics and paper goods that are coated with the compounds. Over time, oxidation can cause the fluorotelomers to degrade to PFOA, which is difficult to break down due to its durability and bond strength. PFOA also has a tendency to accumulate in cells due to its polarized structure, which has both hydrophobic (water-repelling) and hydrophilic (water-loving) parts, similar to the cell membrane, the researchers say.
DeSimone and his associates, Paul Resnick, Ph.D., and graduate student Ji Guo, designed a group of shorter, four-carbon fluorotelomers, called "C4 plus" that are less bulky than the longer chain fluorotelomers. The newer compounds do not produce PFOA and do not appear to be capable of accumulating in the body upon oxidation. In early laboratory tests, coatings made with the new C4 plus compounds performed as well as or better than the conventional coatings, the researchers say.
The researchers have filed a patent for these new materials, which they say have the same beneficial properties as conventional coatings and can easily be scaled up to industrial standards. Several textile companies have expressed an interest, DeSimone says. His study is funded by NSF.
The finding represents another environmental achievement for DeSimone's research group. Several years ago, the researchers found a way to manufacture many different fluoropolymers in supercritical carbon dioxide that avoids the use of PFOA. DeSimone received a Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award in 1997 for developing this process. Like C4 plus, this process also shows great potential for reducing PFOA in the environment, particularly in the manufacture of nonstick coatings used in cookware, the researcher says.
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