Surface Finish Materials | Product Profiles

■Fluorochemical Functional Products

•Fluorochemical surfactants
•Fluorochemical mold release agents

■ PFOA concern and fluorine products of AGC Seimi Chemical Co., Ltd.
1.	What is the PFOA concern? PFOA is an abbreviated expression of perfluoroalkyl acid and an artificial chemical material that does not exist in nature. PFOA salt has been used as a fluorine polymer auxiliary agent. It is considered that PFOA, being an extremely chemically stable material, remains undergraded in nature. Moreover, once PFOA is absorbed in a living organism, it is difficult to eliminate it (bioaccumulation potential). In addition, there is an environmental and safety concern that, when PFOA is absorbed on the long term, toxicity is expressed. Since 2000, various researches and studies have been conducted in countries. However, PFOA’s risk level in the human body has not yet been confirmed and legal regulation guidelines have not been determined. In addition to PFOA, fluorine compounds whose bioaccumulation potential is of concern include PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) and PFCAs (long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids). It is considered that bioaccumulation potential and toxicity reach high levels when the number of carbons in these compounds becomes eight or more.
2.	United States EPA (Environment Protection Agency) policy In January 2006, the EPA requested eight companies including Asahi Glass Co., Ltd. to carry out efforts to reduce PFOA emission amounts and contained amount in products according to the following schedule. This is called the Stewardship Program. <From the level of the base-year 2000, amounts should be reduced by 95% by 2010 and by 100% by 2015> For details, please refer to the below website of the United States EPA. http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/pfoa/pubs/stewardship/index.html
3.	Asahi Glass Group policy Based on the EPA’s Stewardship Program, the Asahi Glass group including our company devised the following policy. <From the level of the base-year 2004, amounts should be reduced by 75% by 2010 and by 100% by 2015> Moreover, Asahi Glass Co., Ltd, lists not only PFOA but also its precursors (materials that disgregates to produce PFOA) and materials (possibly) including PFOA as an impunity. Regarding the document that Asahi Glass Co., Ltd. sent to the EPA, please refer to the following website. http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/pfoa/pubs/asahiresponse.pdf
4.	AGC Seimi Chemical fluorine products (Surflon, SF coat, Moldspat) The main ingredient of AGC Seimi Chemical fluorine products (Surflon, SF coat, Moldspat) is not PFOA itself, but the products contain infinitesimal amounts of PFOA as an impurity and there is possibility that the products disgregate and produce PFOA. Based on the situation, AGC Seimi Chemical Col, Ltd. introduced the new products responding to the PFOA concern. Regarding the new products, the ultimate degradation product is PFHxA (perfluorohexane acid) including 6 carbons. Moreover, PFOS is not used for existing and new products as a raw material in the manufacturing process, and the products do not disgregate to produce PFOS.


Fluorinated surfactants (surflon)

Surflon is a fluorinated surfactant developed by AGC Seimi Chemical by applying technology fostered in the field of fluorine chemistry for a long time. Thanks to its molecular structure having the perfluoroalkyl group, Surflon has many excellent characteristics that have not been gained through hydrocarbon surfactants.

¦Characteristics of Surflon
(1)	Significantly reduce surface tension With Surflon, it is possible to achieve low surface tension that has not been gained through hydrocarbon surfactants. For example, Surflon is also effective in improving liquid leveling, in improving lubricant on solid surface, in achieving stability of bubbles in various solutions, for example.
(2)	A small dose produces an effect. The perfluoroalkyl group has characteristics of being rigid and difficult to bend, and of aligning in an orderly matter on surface. Thus, definite effect can be expected even with low concentration.
(3)	Using it in an organic solvent is possible. The perfluoroalkyl group is a hydrophobic/lipophobic group. By combining it with the lipophilic group, it shows surface action in an organic solvent.

■Solubility

	S-211	S-221	S-231	S-241
Type	Anion	Anion	Amphoteric	Nonion
Outer	Light yellow to yellow liquid	Yellow to brown clear liquid	Light yellow to yellow liquid	Yellow to brown clear liquid
ingredient(%)	50	30	30	30
Solvent	Water/isopropanol	Water/isopropanol	Water/isopropanol	Water/isopropanol
gravity(25℃)	1.20	1.07	1.00	1.04
Surface tension (water solution 0.1% mn/m	15.8	15.8	17.5	16.2

■Ethylene oxide adducts

	S-242	S-243	S-420
Type	Nonion	Nonion	Nonion
Outer appearance	White to light yellow solid	Colorless to yellow viscosity liquid	Colorless to yellow viscosity liquid
Active ingredient (%)	100	100	100
Solvent	-	-	-
Specific gravity(25℃)	-	1.25	1.55
Solubility in water	Soluble	Soluble	Insolble
Surface tension (water solution 0.1% mn/m)	18.1	20.2	-
Surface tension (ethyl acetate solution 0.5%) (mn/m)	22.9	23.2	23.1

■Polymer

	S-611	S-651	S-386
Type	Nonion	Nonion	Nonion
Outer appearance	White viscosity liquid	Colorless to yellow viscosity liquid	Yellow liquid
Active ingredient (%)	100	100	100
Solvent	-	-	-
Specific gravity (25℃)	1.11	1.23	1.10
Solubility in water	Insolble	Insolble	Soluble
Surface tension (water solution 0.1% mn/m)	-	-	22.5
Surface tension (ethyl acetate solution 0.5% mn/m)	18.4	23.0	22.9

■Solubility in representative soluvents

	S-211	S-221	S-231	S-241	S-242	S-243	S-420	S-611	S-651	S-386
Water	△	◎	◎	◎	◎	◎	×	×	×	◎
Methanol	◎	◎	◎	◎	◎	◎	◎	○	◎	◎
IPA	◎	◎	◎	◎	◎	◎	◎	◎	◎	◎
MEK	×	◎	×	◎	◎	◎	◎	○	◎	◎
Acetic ether	×	×	×	△	◎	◎	◎	○	◎	◎
PGMEA	×	×	×	×	◎	◎	◎	○	◎	◎
Toluene	×	×	×	×	◎	◎	△	△	◎	◎
Hexane	×	×	×	×	×	×	△	×	×	△

Solubility 25℃ ◎>10% or more ○ 1 to 10% △ 0.1 to 1% × 0.1% or below
IPA	:Isopropyl alcohol
MEK	:Methyl ethyl ketone
PGMEA	:Propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate
Please note that each property value is a representative value, not a standard value.