In France, three laboratories, Cetim, and an industrial partner join forces to develop alternative solutions to “forever chemicals.”
The fight against PFAS — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — is intensifying in Alsace, a region located in eastern France. While a restrictive regulation project targeting these so‑called “forever pollutants” is under review at the European level, and France has been gradually implementing usage bans in certain sectors since January 2026, the industrial world is actively looking into replacing these widely used substances, valued for their friction‑reducing properties in demanding environments.
To develop alternatives capable of maintaining performance levels equivalent to current solutions, three Alsatian CNRS laboratories — the Laboratory of Molecular Innovation and Applications (LIMA), the Mulhouse Materials Science Institute (IS2M), and the Charles Sadron Institute (ICS) — together with Cetim and the company APS Coating Solutions, have formed a new consortium.
Developing industrial solutions
Within this consortium, LIMA is responsible for the upstream phase, designing and synthesizing new molecular components to replace PFAS. These initial formulations are then studied by IS2M, which transforms them into usable materials and coatings. ICS, in collaboration with Cetim, evaluates the tribological and mechanical properties of the resulting materials, as well as their thermal stability, chemical resistance, and surface energy. Finally, APS Coating Solutions contributes by defining use cases, providing performance benchmarks for various industrial sectors, identifying application constraints, and industrializing coating processes. Coordination is jointly ensured by Carnot MICA and Carnot Cetim.
Planned over a period of four years, this program will rely on three PhD theses, two of which are funded by Cetim. In the medium and long term, the partners aim to sustain this collaboration by expanding the consortium to include additional partners, creating a shared laboratory, and launching additional programs dedicated to PFAS substitution. Additional national, European, and industrial funding sources are also being explored to accelerate and expand the scope of the project.
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