At a Glance
- Traditional nonstick coatings rely on PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” which pose significant environmental and health risks due to their persistence and ability to accumulate in living organisms.
- Researchers at the University of Toronto have developed a hybrid material using a biocompatible silicone base called polydimethylsiloxane, which serves as a safer alternative to conventional PFAS coatings.
- The team invented a “nanoscale fletching” technique to bond ultrashort, non-accumulating PFAS molecules to the ends of tiny silicone bristles, creating a highly oil-repellent molecular structure.
- This new material matches the oil-repellency performance of standard long-chain PFAS coatings but with a drastically reduced amount of fluorine, which mitigates the associated health and environmental risks.
- The breakthrough highlights that intelligent molecular design is more critical than the length of the fluorine chain, marking a significant step toward developing fully sustainable, high-performance, and PFAS-free repellent materials.
Researchers have developed a new material that could provide a safer, high-performance alternative to the controversial nonstick chemicals used in a range of products, from cookware to rain-resistant clothing. A team from the University of Toronto Engineering has created a novel coating that repels oil and grease as effectively as traditional coatings but contains significantly lower amounts of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. These “forever chemicals” have come under scrutiny for their persistence in the environment and potential health risks, creating an urgent need for sustainable replacements.
PFAS, a family of chemicals that includes Teflon, owe their remarkable nonstick properties to strong carbon-fluorine bonds. This chemical stability, however, also means they resist natural breakdown processes, leading to their accumulation in the environment and living organisms. Studies have linked high-level exposure, particularly to long-chain PFAS, to serious health issues. While safer, short-chain PFAS exist, scientists have struggled to create fluorine-free alternatives that can repel oil with the same high performance.
To solve this challenge, the researchers developed a method they call “nanoscale fletching,” a technique described in the journal Nature Communications. The team used polydimethylsiloxane, or PDMS, a common and biocompatible silicone, as the base material. They created a surface of tiny, brush-like PDMS chains and then chemically bonded the shortest possible PFAS molecule—a single carbon atom with three fluorine atoms—to the tips of these bristles. This structure mimics the fletching on an arrow, creating a highly repellent surface at the molecular level.
The resulting material demonstrates that a smart molecular design, rather than long chains of fluorine, is the key to effective oil repellency. When tested, the new coating achieved a top grade for oil repellency, matching the performance of many standard PFAS-based products while drastically reducing the fluorine content. Professor Kevin Golovin, who led the research, noted that this ultrashort PFAS molecule does not bioaccumulate, offering a significant safety advantage. While the ultimate goal is an entirely PFAS-free material, this innovation represents a critical step away from reliance on harmful “forever chemicals.”
References
- Au, S., Gauthier, J. R., Kumral, B., Filleter, T., Mabury, S., & Golovin, K. (2025). Nanoscale fletching of liquid-like polydimethylsiloxane with single perfluorocarbons enables sustainable oil-repellency. Nature Communications, 16(1), 6789. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62119-9
- Irving, T. & University of Toronto. (2025, July 26). Researchers create safer nonstick surface, cutting use of “forever chemicals.” Phys.Org; University of Toronto. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-safer-nonstick-surface-chemicals.html
