The Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF and the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials IFAM initiated the 'HATE-Fluor' project at the beginning of February. Together, they want to developfluorine-free coated elastomers as a replacement for fluoropolymers in certain technical applications and offer a modular solution for this.
Users of poly- and perfluorinated alkyl compounds (PFAS) are under pressure due to regulatory proposals from the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). This also affects the use of fluoroelastomers, whose economic importance is very high. Industries such as plant and mechanical engineering, medical technology, clean room and semiconductor technology can therefore benefit from the results of the 'HATE-Fluor' project.
The project aims to improve the thermal stability of fluorine-free elastomers using new types of antioxidants, produce tailored elastomer formulations and develop a coating system to protect the elastomer from oxidative and chemical attack. The modular structure of this system, consisting of lacquer and plasma coatings, covers a broad spectrum in the field of fluorine-alternative seals.
