Medical products like surgical gowns, masks, drapes and packaging must be able to repel fluids, oil and alcohol, and quickly release stains when laundered. Those properties are achieved by coating nonwoven fabrics with repelling agents before they are fabricated into clothing. However, repelling agents have had a history of sustainability issues because of their potential to break down forming perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). To address this problem, AGC Chemicals Americas developed AsahiGuard AG-E600, a high-performance, PFOA-free repellent with improved environmental and biological profiles.

AG-E600 repelling agents have been evaluated by industry regulators and found to be safe and effective for use in nonwoven medical products. They are based on AGC’s patented short-chain C6 polymerization technology, which is nontoxic and does not break down to form PFOA or Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). In addition, AG-E600 is alkylphenol ethoxylate (APEO) -free and does not contain longer chain length perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) or their precursors.

AG-E600 is nonflammable, provides excellent alcohol/oil repellency and water resistance for polypropylene nonwovens, and has high compatibility with auxiliary agents. Medical products formulated with AG-E600 maintain their repelling performance through repeated washings.

“As the first fluorochemical company to convert its entire PFC product line to C6, AGC leads the U.S. EPA stewardship program,” says Tim Johnson, AGC business manager. “When AG-E600 repelling agents are used in medical nonwovens, manufacturers and end-users are assured of high-performance, sustainable products.”