PFAS, or poly- (or per-) fluoroalkyl substances, widely used in different industrial sectors are now coming under increasing scrutiny due to their long-lasting presence in the environment. A possible European ban on PFASs based on REACh might come into force as early as 2027 for specific industrial segments.
Apart from PTFE, a fluoropolymer currently classified as a polymer of low concern by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), NOF Metal Coatings do not use any other PFAS in its products.
Regardless of potential restrictions imposed by environmental authorities on PTFE, NOF Metal Coatings Group took this new regulation as an opportunity to develop a new PFAS-free topcoat range generation with worldwide availability.
PFAS free PLUS® Series
The ambitious objectives of these developments were to be able to offer customers a new range of more environmentally friendly products, while guaranteeing the same tribological performance as the current PLUS® range, the company’s most popular topcoat range.
- PLUS® XL 2 Silver: COF 0.06 – 0.09 (ISO 16047)
- PLUS® VLh 2 Silver: COF 0.09 – 0.14 (ISO 16047)
- PLUS® ML 2 Silver: COF 0.10 – 0.16 (ISO 16047)
Applied on top of the GEOMET® waterborne zinc flake basecoats, the PFAS-free alternatives to PLUS® XL, PLUS® VLh, and PLUS® ML meet or exceed the global OEM requirements and specifications while providing outstanding tribological properties including:
- Multi-tightening and high-speed tightening
- Compatibility with various mating substrates (e-coat, aluminium, zinc, and steel)
- Stick slip avoidance
- Behaviour in loosening tests (including at high temperature – PLUS® VLh 2 Silver and PLUS® ML 2 Silver)
To offer customers the best products on the market, NOF Metal Coatings have taken this opportunity to enhance the aesthetics of the products in this new range by adding aluminium pigments, thus obtaining a uniform silver colour. This enhancement will improve the visual appearance of assemblies where fasteners are visible to customers.
In addition to the improved aesthetics with aluminium pigments in the coating, all three new PFAS-free topcoats will include fluorescent pigments for ease of positive identification – a feature unique to NOF Metal Coatings Group topcoats.
Meanwhile, in the company’s R&D laboratories, teams are continuing to work on PFAS-free coatings and GEOBLACK® systems, with the addition of black topcoats for the PFAS-free PLUS® range to be ready before the end of the year!
