Create PFAS-free solutions thanks to innovative, more sustainable BYK additives

by Sven Kremser , Brigitte Weber and Marina Gajewiak

BYK?Additives has spent years actively directing significant research efforts, investments, and human resources towards replacing its?per- and polyfluoroalkyl?(PFAS containing) additives with more environmentally compatible alternatives. Now, BYK has reached a point where it can offer customers pioneering, sustainable PFAS-free solutions for almost all products. This article clusters the most exciting innovations at a glance.

BYK stops supplying PFAS-containing additives by end of 2025

Therefore?BYK will end its production of additives containing PFAS and will be shipping the last batch of the affected products by the end of 2025. By then, we will also be offering PFAS-free solutions for applications in which, currently, additives containing PFAS are still used.

Even today, the percentage of PFAS-containing additives in BYK's extensive product portfolio is very small. As a leading innovator we are convinced that we can help our customers phase out products containing PFAS by offering our pioneering alternatives at an early date and showing new ways in the formulation of sustainable solutions.

PFAS - why not?

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)?have become the subject of discussion as an ultra-stable group of chemical compounds. They are therefore also termed “forever chemicals”. PFAS are almost entirely non-degradable and can accumulate in the environment, in human beings, and in animals. BYK does use fluorinated alkyl compounds to a very small extent as raw materials in the manufacture of selected additives. These are chemically bound in the additives, are non-volatile, and are used only in closed or contained systems.

PFAS in BYK products?

BYK additives that contain PFAS are – or were – to be found in a variety of product groups such as defoamers, surface additives, wax additives, etc. They are used for many special effects in architectural, industrial, wood and furniture coatings, printing inks, automotive coatings, corrosion protection systems, can or coil coatings, floor coatings, adhesives and sealants, polishes, and leather and PVC?and as processing additives for thermoplastics.

?To be precise, PFAS are extremely persistent, bioaccumulative, partially toxic, but widely used. In general, they show exceptional water- and oil-repellent properties, a high durability under extreme conditions, and electrical and thermal insulation. Their (formerly) unique properties include numerous applications, such as:

• Strong reduction of surface tension
• Superb substrate wetting and spreading properties
• Anti-crater properties
• Easy to recoat
• Good leveling properties
• Non-stick properties
• Can stabilize foam (in case of fluorosurfactants)
• Can be very effective defoamers (in case of fluorinated defoamers)
• Anti-fingerprint properties
• Excellent abrasion resistance (in case of PTFE-based wax additives)
• Scratch resistance (in case of PTFE-based wax additives)
• Oleophobic and hydrophobic properties

Where do you find PFAS in additives?

?

For all these applications BYK has invented products that cover these formerly unique properties without using PFAS.

PFAS-free in all production processes

Apart from terminating its shipments of additives with PFAS content by the end of 2025, BYK will by then also have converted all its production facilities worldwide to PFAS-free firefighting foam. To this end, BYK has invested heavily in new or modified firefighting equipment.

or watch the video at byk.com

Discover new, innovative PFAS-free alternatives

PFAS-free defoamers and air release additives

PFAS-containing defoamers and air release additives usually provide several benefits, such as:

• Excellent defoaming properties in a wide range of systems
• Anti-pinhole effect
• Reduction of surface tension
• Positive influence on leveling and surface appearance
• No negative influence on transparency
• Excellent storage stability

However, all the aforementioned properties can also be covered by BYK additives without PFAS depending on the system used.

A small selection of alternatives for PFAS-containing defoamers can be found here:

BYK-022: VOC-free silicone-containing defoamer for aqueous coatings, printing inks and adhesives. Also effective against microfoam.

BYK-1810: PFAS-free, silicone-containing defoamer for solvent-borne and solvent-free coating systems, adhesives and sealants, and thermosets.

BYK-1815: PFAS-free, silicone-containing defoamer for solvent-borne and solvent-free coating systems, adhesives and sealants, and thermosets.

BYK-1816: PFAS-free, silicone-containing defoamer for solvent-borne and solvent-free coating systems.

This short selection guideline for PFAS-free defoamers should help in the selection of the right additive or where to start. The new PFAS-free alternatives are globally available and are recommended for all application areas.

PFAS-free surface additives

Surface additives containing PFAS can influence different surface properties in a unique way. Their key properties are:

• Excellent compatibility in a wide range of systems
• Silicone-free
• Excellent leveling properties
• Reduction of surface tension
• Effective wetting of critical substrates
• Anti-cratering?properties

PFAS-free solutions depend on the application, the silicone tolerance, the system itself, and the desired properties. BYK offers suitable PFAS-free alternatives for all these different requirements.

A small selection of alternatives for PFAS-containing surface additives can be found here:

BYK-333: Silicone-containing surface additive for solvent-free, solvent-borne and aqueous coating systems, printing inks and adhesive systems as well as ambient-curing plastic systems. Strong reduction of surface tension.

BYK-361 N: Polyacrylate-based surface additive for solvent-borne and solvent-free coatings, for UV-reactive printing inks and overprint varnishes as well as powder coatings. Improves leveling and prevents craters. Also suitable for ambient curing plastic systems. Solvent-free version of BYK-358 N.

BYK-399: Silicone-free surface additive for solvent-borne coatings to improve the leveling and for a moderate reduction in surface tension. Has a defoaming effect at higher doses.

BYK-3455: Fluorine-free, silicone-containing additive for improving substrate wetting and leveling in aqueous systems and solvent-free UV coatings.

PFAS-free wax additives

PTFE-based wax additives are known for characteristic properties, such as:

• Very good abrasion resistance
• Chemically inert
• Temperature resistant
• Higher density compared to other wax additives and therefore different orientation in the coating film

These additives show a special behavior in the coating film:

It is difficult to match all these properties exactly with PTFE-free additives, but BYK offers customized alternatives to best meet these high demands, especially when focusing on abrasion resistance.

A small selection of alternatives for PFAS-containing wax additives can be found here:

CERAFLOUR 929 N: Micronized, modified polyethylene wax for solvent-borne and aqueous coating systems for improving surface protection and for matting.

CERAFLOUR 1050: PTFE-free micronized polyethylene wax additive for improving the scratch and abrasion resistance and increasing the surface slip of aqueous, solvent-borne, solvent-free, and UV coating systems. Function and efficiency comparable to typical PE/PTFE wax additives.

CERAFLOUR 1051: PTFE-free micronized modified polyethylene wax additive for particularly increasing the abrasion resistance and improving the scratch resistance and surface slip of aqueous, solvent-borne, solvent-free, and UV coating systems. Function and efficiency comparable to typical PE/PTFE wax additives.

CERAFLOUR 1052: PTFE-free micronized modified polyethylene wax additive for improving the scratch and abrasion resistance and increasing the surface slip of aqueous, solvent-borne, solvent-free, and UV coating systems. Function and efficiency comparable to typical PE/PTFE wax additives.

Discover more about new PTFE-free wax additives here.

PFAS-free processing additives

Processing aids in thermoplastic applications often contain PFAS to achieve certain properties, e.g.:

• Prevention of melt fracture (sharkskin) and die build-up
• No negative influence on printability or painting
• Durable for high temperature?processes up to 290 °C

BYK developed alternative processing aids that are PFAS-free and still have the usual positive effect on the process and result.

A small selection of alternatives for PFAS-containing processing additives can be found here:

BYK-MAX P 4109: Fluorine-free processing aid formulation to reduce the melt viscosity, increase the throughput, and avoid melt fracture and die build-up in various polyolefins.

BYK-MAX P 4110: Fluorine- and silicone-free processing aid formulation to reduce the melt viscosity, increase the throughput, and avoid melt fracture and die build-up in various polyolefins.

Melt fracture? The solution are PFAS-free process additives

BYK is demonstrating an innovative development for the thermoplastics industry with two PFAS-free process additives for use in polyolefins that master many current challenges in the production of films, pipes, profiles, fibers and much more. BYK-MAX P 4109 and BYK-MAX P 4110 prevent melt fracture, reduce the viscosity of the melt, reduce die build-up and allow faster material changes.

When processing polyolefins, high shear forces, temperatures and friction sometimes occur in the machines, leading to melt fracture or die build-up. In order to prevent these undesirable side effects and optimize production, fluorine-containing processing aids have often been used to date to ensure good throughput and defect-free finished parts. With BYK-MAX P 4109 and BYK-MAX P 4110, two new polymer processing aids (PPA) are now on the market that meet these requirements exactly: They are PFAS-free and at the same time allow a high production speed while preventing melt fracture and reducing die build-up which leads to less maintenance and therefore shorter downtimes.

Dive into deep

• Download free technical brochure
• Press release about BYK to end production of additives containing PFAS
• Discover PFAS-free solutions at a glace on byk.com/PFASfree