Engineering a Future Without PFAS: The Path to Sustainable Alternatives

The shift from PFAS is both a regulatory need and an opportunity for industries to lead in sustainability. Environmental scientists from Stockholm University argue that engineers will be crucial in developing PFAS-free solutions that maintain performance and safety

GLOBALLY, the momentum to phase out per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is growing, but there is a recognition among regulators that an outright ban on all PFAS uses is neither practical nor feasible in the short term.

In a recent study,¹ we assessed potential alternatives to PFAS across 325 applications in 18 industries, identifying 530 PFAS-free alternatives. While many chemical substitutes were found, the research also highlighted the importance of considering material innovations, process changes, and entirely new technologies. These can often offer safer, more sustainable solutions than simple chemical substitution. Our study, which was part of the ZeroPM project, employed a functional substitution approach, mapping PFAS according to the functions they fulfil in an application. For 40 applications, potential alternatives to PFAS are already available. However, for 83 applications no suitable alternatives could be identified, underscoring critical research gaps. Furthermore, some identified chemical substitutes raised new concerns, with 31% of the alternatives potentially introducing unforeseen hazards.

Our study emphasises the urgent need for collaboration within industry and across sectors, as well as the importance of open data sharing. The ZeroPM alternatives database (available online²) aims to centralise knowledge on PFAS-free options, helping regulators and industry leaders make informed decisions. While regulatory pressure is increasing, engineers have a vital role in developing, testing, and scaling these sustainable alternatives to ensure the phaseout of non-essential PFAS uses. For engineers and industry leaders, this is not just a regulatory challenge – it’s an opportunity for innovation.

The challenge of substitution

Despite the progress being made, certain industrial sectors still face significant challenges in phasing out PFAS due to the unique properties these chemicals offer. For example, the medical, renewable energy, and electronics sectors continue to rely on PFAS, citing difficulties in substitution. Additionally, while non-fluorinated alternatives are becoming more widely available, the fluorochemical industry continues to resist this transition. Economic interests, legal strategies, and lobbying efforts³ are largely aimed at preserving PFAS production, particularly for high-value industrial applications such as fluoropolymers (eg polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), commonly known under the trade name Teflon) and fluorinated gases. Although the fluoropolymer industry has acknowledged the need for emission reductions, PFAS emissions remain inevitable throughout the life cycle of fluoropolymers. Modern fluorinated gases, still in use today, degrade into trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), which raises environmental concerns due to its persistence and difficulty to remove from water.⁴ However, the fluorochemical industry continues to downplay these risks. Although substituting PFAS presents challenges, the landscape of PFAS use is undergoing a seismic shift. The manufacturing and engineering sectors must prepare for stricter PFAS regulations and adapt by embracing safer, sustainable alternatives. The future of materials engineering lies in innovation that moves beyond fluorochemicals, ensuring safer industrial practices. Below, we explore case studies highlighting both the difficulties and significant progress being made in developing PFAS-free alternatives.

Case studies

‘Green’ energy sector: Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs)

PFAS are widely used in the green energy sector, including in wind turbines, hydrogen fuel cells, solar panels, heat pumps, and rechargeable batteries such as LIBs. Some industry stakeholders argue that phasing out PFAS could jeopardise existing green energy technologies, critical to combating climate change, as well as future innovation in these areas. Rechargeable LIBs commonly used for energy storage in devices like smartphones, electric vehicles, and power tools are used here to exemplify this debate. RECHARGE, a European battery industry trade organisation, claims that PFAS-free alternatives for LIBs are not yet available and that phasing out PFAS would also threaten innovation towards next-generation solid-state batteries. However, these claims seem overstated as PFAS-free alternatives for certain types of LIBs are already available.⁵

Leclanché, a Swiss energy storage provider, has already successfully removed PFAS from the binders in LIB cathodes. This was made possible through the adoption of water-based binder processes, which the company has been using for more than 13 years. This transition not only eliminates PFAS but also avoids the use of the toxic solvent N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone (NMP), improving worker safety. Another promising PFAS-free binder alternative has been developed by Nanoramic Laboratories, which created a carbon-based, three-dimensional nanocarbon binding structure that also eliminates the need for NMP and PFAS. E-Lyte, an electrolyte company, is working with Nanoramic to develop a customised PFAS-free electrolyte tailored to their alternative cathode technology. While the specific chemistries are yet to be revealed, these advancements demonstrate that PFAS-free LIBs are already becoming a reality. Achieving successful PFAS substitution more widely in LIBs will require finding the right balance between battery performance, the environmental impacts of hazardous materials and chemicals, and economic factors.

Healthcare sector: Medical devices

Healthcare is another sector using PFAS-containing equipment, including medical devices, personal protective equipment (PPE), and pharmaceuticals. Phasing out PFAS in this sector is often considered difficult due to the special properties these chemicals offer for health and safety. However, even when an application is deemed essential for health, PFAS alternatives can still be developed without compromising performance.

In the case of medical devices, companies have made substantial strides in replacing PFAS with safer alternatives. Hydromer, for example, has successfully replaced PFAS in medical device coatings with PFAS-free hydrophilic coatings.⁶ These coatings, commonly used in devices such as catheters and stents, reduce friction and enhance biocompatibility, preventing complications during procedures. Victrex, a leader in high-performance polymers, has developed PFAS-free PEEK (polyether ether ketone) polymers for use in medical applications, from implants to drug delivery systems.⁷ PEEK is known for its strength, chemical resistance, and high thermal stability – properties that make it an ideal alternative to PFAS-based materials.

These advancements demonstrate that transitioning away from PFAS in the healthcare sector appears feasible, with some effort and innovation, paving the way for sustainable healthcare that maintains high standards of performance and patient safety.

Electronics sector: Semiconductors

In electronics, PFAS are widely used because they resist fire, are chemically stable, repel water, and can handle high temperatures and voltages. One area where PFAS have been difficult to replace is in semiconductor production, specifically in photolithography and etching processes. Photolithography creates circuits on semiconductor wafers by applying a photoresist layer and exposing it to UV light. PFAS are involved in the photoresist polymer and photoacid generators (PAGs), essential for creating the patterns in the circuit. Traditionally, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was used in both etchant solutions and PAGs, but it has since been replaced by perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) and other fluorinated compounds.

Some PFAS-free alternatives in the photoresist are already in use,⁸ such as Fujifilm’s KrF (although the active ingredient is unknown). Engineering progress is also evident in the development of functional alternatives for surfactants in etchant solutions. For example, Novec 4200 is now available for buffered oxide etchants, and Novec 4300 is used for phosphoric/acetic/nitric acid etchants, providing effective replacements. Although fluorine-free alternatives for PAGs are still under development, these innovations suggest that a PFAS-free semiconductor industry is possible.

Moving forward

As we move toward a future with only a few essential uses of PFAS, progress across sectors like energy, healthcare, and electronics showcases the immense potential for innovation. While challenges remain in fully substituting PFAS, the successful development of PFAS-free solutions for complex applications like lithium-ion batteries, medical devices, and semiconductors proves that these challenges are not insurmountable. Chemical, material, and technological alternatives can meet performance and safety requirements without compromising functionality. However, continued research, collaboration, and data sharing will be crucial in ensuring that substitutes are not only fit-for-purpose but also safer and more sustainable.

The transition away from PFAS is not merely a regulatory necessity in some parts of the world – it is a transformative opportunity for industries to lead in environmental responsibility, possibly providing a competitive advantage. This shift will help pave the way for a more sustainable future in manufacturing and society at large. Engineers will play a pivotal role in this transformation, designing, testing, and scaling solutions that ensure a PFAS-free future while maintaining performance and safety standards.

References

1. Environmental Science & Technology: An Overview of Potential Alternatives for the Multiple Uses of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances: https://bit.ly/3EqFXI5
2. ZeroPM Alternative Assessment Database: https://zeropm.eu/alternative-assessment-database/
3. The Forever Pollution Project: https://foreverpollution.eu/lobbying/
4. Environmental Science & Technology: The Global Threat from the Irreversible Accumulation of Trifluoroacetic Acid (TFA): https://bit.ly/410wgJa
5. Environmental Science & Technology: PFAS-Free Energy Storage: Investigating Alternatives for Lithium-Ion Batteries: https://bit.ly/3Q7aZay
6. Hydromer press release: https://bit.ly/3QbPl4F
7. Victrex ebook: https://www.victrex.com/en/pfas
8. Check Your Tech: A guide to PFAS in electronics: https://bit.ly/4hNo6tj