Chip Manufacturing Breakthrough Solves Issue Of Toxic Forever Chemicals

Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in consumer goods have been a longtime concern, because they do not break down easily. As such, they have been dubbed "Forever Chemicals". In January we reported ton a class action suit against Apple accusing the company of selling watches that contain PFAS, which could pose health risks to consumers. In what appears to be a significant breakthrough for chip makers, a team of researchers from Australia's Monash University claim they've created a water membrane filter that can effectively remove small PFA molecules from flowing water.

According to the researchers, experiments and simulations showed that the Monash membrane is highly effective at keeping small PFA molecules from passing through. It adds that it can stop over 90% of small PFA molecules, compared to traditional membranes that can only keep out 35%. The team also revealed that the Monash membrane forms “an energetic barrier that prevents PFAS movement, effectively blocking contamination.”

Removing PFASs is not an easy feat. Highlighting the challenge with PFAS, Eubert Mahofa, one of the researchers reveals that "PFAS are difficult to manage because they dissolve easily in water and can spread far from their original source making contamination challenging to contain and remediate”.


However, a co-author of the study Sally El Meragawi revealed that the team was able to create a different kind of membrane that made it possible to remove even the smallest form of PFAS effectively. He adds that the Monash membranes can complement existing “traditional nanofiltration systems” and serve as a stepping stone for future technologies to address the PFAS challenge.

Following this breakthrough, Peter Voigt, CEO of NematiQ, a graphene-focused manufacturer, has promised to partner with Monash University to ensure that the innovation is made available on a commercial basis.

While this discovery holds promise, it is diffcult to say if the semiconductor industry that relies on PFAS to make chips will readily adopt it. The Semi-Conductor PFAS Consortium has resisted several attempts to restrict or stop the use of PFAS various manufacturing processes. It has also published many papers related to the challenges of using alternatives other than PFAS. Perhaps, the Monash membrane is the ideal solution to address their concerns. If not, consumers may need to exert more pressure on the necessary parties to ensure harmful chemicals are kept at bay.