Growing pressure to reduce PFAS use is driving interest in technologies that could deliver water-repellent surfaces without fluorinated coatings.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are facing growing scrutiny over their environmental persistence and potential health risks, increasing pressure on manufacturers to find alternatives to products and processes that rely on the so-called “forever chemicals”.

One potential approach is the use of femtosecond lasers, which can alter the surface of materials at micro- and nano-scale to create water-repellent properties without the need for a fluorinated coating.

The technology is being developed by Lithuanian femtosecond laser company LITILIT, which says ultrashort laser pulses could provide an alternative in applications where surfaces need to resist water, ice or corrosion.

The issue of PFAS is attracting renewed attention across Europe. In July, environmental law organisation ClientEarth filed a complaint against Belgium over what it described as the country’s failure to protect people from widespread PFAS pollution.

The complaint, submitted to the European Committee of Social Rights, argues that Belgium has failed to adequately protect public health and the environment from exposure to the chemicals. ClientEarth said PFAS contamination has been identified across the country, including around industrial sites and in drinking water sources.

Meanwhile, a report published in April by the European Environmental Bureau and ClientEarth found that the EU’s Restrictions Roadmap, launched in 2022 to accelerate controls on hazardous chemicals, had made limited progress four years after its introduction. The report identified PFAS among the substances affected by delays in the restrictions process.

PFAS are a large group of chemicals valued for properties including resistance to water, grease, heat and corrosion. They have been used in a wide range of applications and products, while concerns about their persistence and potential health effects have led to calls for tighter controls and safer alternatives.

LITILIT CEO Nikolajus Gavrilinas said: “PFAS coatings are widely used to repel water, oil, and stains, but femtosecond lasers offer another route: they can texture surfaces at micro- and nano-scale to make materials water-repellent without applying a fluorinated coating. It’s an approach that applies anywhere water, ice or corrosion are a problem – from building materials and stone to metal, glass and everyday interior products.”

Femtosecond lasers produce pulses lasting around a quadrillionth of a second. Because the pulses are so short, the laser can modify the surface of a material before significant heat has time to spread through it.

This allows manufacturers to create precisely controlled micro- and nanoscale structures on a surface. The resulting texture can change how the material interacts with water and other substances, potentially reducing the need for additional chemical coatings.

The approach could have applications across manufacturing, including metal, glass, stone and other materials. LITILIT also says ultrashort-pulse laser processing could be used for decorative applications, such as creating colour effects on metal surfaces without relying on paint or ink.

The potential environmental benefit will depend on the specific application and how the laser-treated surface performs compared with conventional coatings. However, the technology highlights the wider search for manufacturing processes that can reduce reliance on persistent chemicals.

Gavrilinas said: “Manufacturers cannot move away from toxic chemicals at scale if the alternative tools remain expensive, complex and difficult to integrate. That is why we are focused not only on making femtosecond lasers work, but on making them easier to produce, easier to install and easier to use in real factories.”

The challenge for femtosecond laser technology is therefore not only whether it can provide an alternative to particular chemical treatments, but whether it can be deployed at the scale and cost required by industrial manufacturers.

As governments and regulators face increasing pressure to reduce exposure to PFAS, technologies that can replace specific uses of the chemicals could become an increasingly important part of the search for safer manufacturing processes.