Do we already need alternatives to PTFE, FKM, and FFKM? Consequences of 3M (Dyneon) Exiting PFAS Production On December 20, 2022, 3M Company, headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, announced that the globally operating corporation would phase out the manufacture of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) by 2025.
Can PTFE components replace rubber seals? Bellows and diaphragms are used in engineering as so-called “hermetic seals” that can seal moving components without leakage.Both technical terms actually originate from names for thin membranes of animal origin.Historically, these were initially used to make drinking bladders and bellows.Today, these terms refer to components that are clamped between
An Attempt to Draw Historical Parallels Many of our customers ask us: What does the future hold for PTFE and fluoropolymers? With so many stakeholders, politicians, media organizations, lobbyists, companies, and consumer advocacy groups around the world involved in the discussion and seeking to influence its direction, making a precise prediction is virtually impossible. In
A Comparison with PTFE Why Does Permeation Matter in Beverage Filling? Bottled beverages, especially beer, should reach consumers with minimal loss of quality. If oxygen enters the product during the filling process, chemical reactions may occur that can alter the composition of the beverage, affect its flavor, and even reduce its shelf life. Both outcomes
PFAS are per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which include fluoropolymers such as PTFE. The decades-long, uncontrolled use of fluorinated compounds has raised significant social and political concerns. The global environmental impacts, including those caused by the careless release of fluorinated surfactants, cannot yet be fully assessed. Everyone who has used PFAS to date should take responsibility
What PFAS-free alternatives are there to PTFE gaskets? What means PFAS? PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are compounds in which the hydrogen atoms attached to a carbon atom have been completely replaced by fluorine atoms. Within this subgroup of substances, PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid) have now been banned. These compounds (also
In hydraulics, seals are “kept alive” by a lubricating film. Standard scrapers from the catalog are usually made of a wide variety of elastomers, such as NBR, EPDM, or PU. If rods are moved through them, they must be lubricated, as running them dry would lead to stick-slip, noise, high friction, and/or excessive wear. For
Teflon® tubing for beverages and other pure media » a simple solution with many advantages. In the beverage filling industry, thick-walled molded PTFE hoses have become the standard for connecting product distributors and valves over the past several years. Previously, it was common practice in process engineering to use stainless steel-jacketed hoses with polytetrafluoroethylene liners
Do injection-molded guide elements meet the requirements of mechanical engineering? Plastic plain bearings have now become established in mechanical engineering and automation technology as an alternative to bushings made of bearing metals. While brass bushings require lubrication, the so-called“Igus® bushings”can generally be operated in a dry-running mode. (Igus® is a registered trademark of IGUS GmbH,
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