Omni-Materials: PFAS-Free Biomaterial for Army Textiles

In response to Army topic A24B-T018: Biosynthetic PFAS Alternatives to Provide Omniphobicity, Biointerphase Inc., a bioengineering company in Pittsburgh, in collaboration with one of the leading textile research centers at NC State University (NCSU) and industry expert Propel LLC, a small business textile manufacturer with prior experience working with the Department of Defense, propose the development of a biosynthetic surface treatment, Omni-Materials, that provides omniphobicity to clothing and other textiles without the use of harmful perfluorinated compounds (PFAS). PFAS are widely used for their ability to provide water and oil resistant products, but studies have shown that they are associated with negative health effects including cancer, reproductive issues, and developmental delays. PFAS are now being banned from use and manufacture worldwide. Alternative solutions do not currently exist to provide omniphobic properties to clothing and other textiles leading to a crisis for military and commercial applications where oil and water resistance is critical such as uniforms, hydration systems, and fire-resistant garments. Omni-Materials offers a non-toxic solution to provide omniphobicity to a wide range of materials. Omni-Materials is based on Biointerphase’s existing product THERMOPHASE which is a bioinspired surface treatment for fouling prevention in heat exchangers. We have previously observed that THERMOPHASE exhibits omniphobic properties. In a small feasibility we successfully demonstrated the ability of a naturally derived biomaterial formulation to prevent damage from oil and water in biodegradable food containers. The goal of this project is to perform a more in-depth feasibility study to develop Omni-Materials through additional modifications to THERMOPHASE for adhesion to textiles and for optimization of omniphobicity. To accomplish this goal, we are partnering with Dr. Bryan R. Ormond of NCSU, an expert on textile finishing and testing, and Clare King of Propel LLC, an expert in the textile industry. The goal of the Phase I project will be to demonstrate the feasibility of using Omni-Materials on textiles to provide omniphobicity. To accomplish this goal Biointerphase will prepare several Omni-Materials formulations which will be applied to textile coupons and tested for omniphobicity and durability at NCSU.