Development of oleophobic textile finishes incorporating a single perfluorinated carbon atom

Textiles resistant to hazardous chemicals always have utilized perfluoroalkylated substances (PFAS) due to the unique repellent properties of perfluorinated (-CF3) chemical groups. However, due to their toxicity in the environment and on human health, many countries worldwide are planning to bad PFAS from production. PRE Labs Inc., a safety products manufacturer headquartered in Kelowna, BC, produces uniforms for law enforcement and the Canadian Armed Forces, and would like to understand the maximum possible liquid repellency that can be achieved for a fabric that is PFAS-free. In the proposed project, fabric finishes utilizing a single CF3 group will be studied. The objective of the project is to determine how liquid repellent a fabric can be designed, when finished with a coating containing this sole CF3 group. Students will investigate molecular morphology, fabric properties, and fundamental theory to design textiles that maximally repel hazardous liquids.

Faculty Supervisor:

Kevin Golovin

Student:

Partner:

Pacific Research and Engineering Labs Canada Inc.

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

University of Toronto

Program: