PFAS, otherwise referred to as "Forever Chemicals", represents a wide class of industrially relevant chemicals containing multiple carbon-fluorine bonds, that are commonly used to form barrier coatings for applications like water/oil proofing, flame retardancy, or corrosion resistance. However, these chemicals are highly persistent, hazardous to human health, and are known to bioaccumulate aggressively. However, roll-out of new coating materials is slow, as the desired performance of new coatings must meet or exceed what is currently available. Our research into aluminum oxide (AlOx) molecular clusters represents an ecologically friendly precursor to form AlOx barrier coatings.
Aluminum oxide is well known for its hydrophobic and corrosion resistant properties in thin film coatings. Deep ultraviolet-assisted annealing techniques developed in our lab allow for deposition of AlOx films onto a variety of temperature-sensitive substrate, like paper or textiles. Current work is underway to expand the substrate scope of these films, as well as investigating their feasibility in target markets using market research programs such as Lens of the Market. Multiple patents on this technology have been filed, along with current efforts to spin out a company.

Key Papers:

• Levine, J. D., Rosen, A. Q., Knecht, T. A., Johnson, D. W., Chem. Commun., 2022, 58, 4536-4539.