- January 2024
In our research laboratory, we continue to develop new sol-gel formulations.
One target area is sol-gels as replacement for PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) containing materials. PFAS are persistent chemicals, meaning difficult to breakdown and are potentially harmful to humans as they bioaccumulate in human tissue. PFAS have been used to incorporate hydrophobic and particularly oleophobic properties into materials such as coatings and plastics.
Sol-gel technology is a promising alternative to PFAS for a variety of applications due to its ability to create durable, hydrophobic, oleophobic, and non-toxic coatings as pointed out below:
- Being partly of fully inorganic sol-gel coatings are very durable and can withstand harsh conditions, such as high temperatures, strong wear, and abrasive chemicals.
- Sol-gel coatings can be made to be very water and oil-repellent. This makes them suitable for applications where stain resistance is important, such as non-stick cookware and easy to clean coatings.
- Sol-gel coatings are generally non-toxic and are made of non-harmful chemicals.
At Axcentive we promote sol-gel technology-based products for easy to clean, anti-graffiti and general anti-stick coatings under the EXOCOAT™ brandname.
