Read the full article by Leah Shaffer (Phys.org)
“Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are known as ‘forever chemicals’ because of the impact they make on the environment and human bodies. Much of modern manufacturing relies on these substances for safe packaging, fire protection and waterproof coatings.
Despite the billions of dollars in economic burden PFAS place on human health and the environment, the PFAS materials themselves are relatively affordable and abundant. So when WashU chemical engineers wanted to come up with an alternative that meets manufacturing needs, they turned to a different material that is also affordable and abundant: lignin, or plant waste material. In new research published in Matter, researchers from Washington University in St. Louis outline the chemical processes used to turn lignin and fatty acids into a viable PFAS replacement called SLIP, or superhydrophobic lignin-integrated particles.
‘We actually use this waste material to turn it into a valuable product,’ said Joshua Yuan, the Lucy & Stanley Lopata Professor and chair of energy, environmental and chemical engineering at WashU McKelvey Engineering. Yuan, who serves as director of the NSF Carbon Utilization Redesign for Biomanufacturing (CURB) Energy Research Center at WashU, has long taken inspiration from the natural world to find solutions to replace petrochemical-based materials.”…