AGC Chemicals Americas, Inc. has introduced a new water/oil/alcohol repellant for nonwoven textiles that is free of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) at or above detection limits. AsahiGuard AG-E600 imparts resistance to water, oil and alcohol when formulated into a wide range of high-performance nonwoven products for medical, industrial and consumer use.

The new AsahiGuard AG-E600 repelling agent is based on a patented short-chain C6 polymerization technology that supports an industry transition to alternative chemistries with reduced environmental impact. A sustainable alternative to long-chain C8 technology, C6 fluorinated polymers do not break down into PFOA, yet deliver comparable performance with improved environmental and toxicological profiles.

“AGC is the first company to convert its entire product line to the short-chain C6 technology, and we’ve done it three years ahead of the U.S. EPA goal in 2015,” says Bill Fiedler, AGC business manager. “Customers can feel secure knowing there’s no chance of PFOA cross contamination during our manufacturing.”

AG-E600 provides excellent alcohol/oil repellency and water resistance for polypropylene nonwovens, has excellent compatibility with auxiliary agents and is nonflammable. It is a good choice for the many industries that require water, oil and alcohol resistance.

Since C6 technology is not a drop-in replacement for C8, AGC’s research and development and technical support teams will support formulation changes to C6 technology to ensure a smooth transition.