How to choose a surface treatment for release, lower friction, easier cleaning or outdoor protection.
If you are looking for a PFAS-free coating, start with the job the existing surface does. A bakery tray has to release food through repeated heating and washing. A conveyor guide has to let packaging slide without scuffing. A display cover has to remain clear and easy to wipe. These products can all use functional coatings, but each needs different evidence before a buyer can change the specification.
Nanize, a materials technology company in Narvik, Norway, develops PFAS-free polysilazane coatings and rapid curing technology. Its published application areas include cookware, industrial equipment, automotive plastics, glass and displays, architectural surfaces, and renewable energy. A useful comparison starts with the actual part, the current finish and the reason a change would matter to the people who make, use or maintain it. [1] [2]
What PFAS Free Means for a Coated Product
PFAS stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. The term covers a large family of substances grouped by their chemical structure. PTFE, or polytetrafluoroethylene, is a fluoropolymer used in some nonstick and low-friction systems. PFOA is a different substance. A label that specifies PFOA-free makes a statement about PFOA. A label that specifies PTFE-free addresses PTFE. A PFAS-free claim has a broader scope and deserves a definition from the supplier. The OECD terminology guide explains the structural basis for grouping these substances. [3] [4]
In a purchasing specification, define what the declaration covers. It could describe the liquid coating formulation, the cured layer or the complete part. A finished assembly may include a primer, an adhesive, a film, an ink or a substrate sourced separately. A declaration for the topcoat alone gives procurement information about that layer. Complete-article requirements call for information on the other relevant materials as well.
Ask the supplier how it supports the wording. A formulation statement about intentionally added substances, a restricted-substance declaration and an analytical report answer different questions. An analytical result needs a named method, the sample tested and a reporting limit. A measurement of total fluorine also needs context because it measures fluorine from a wider range of sources than a test for named PFAS compounds. The applicable requirement determines which evidence is relevant.
Make the specification traceable to a product grade and revision. Coatings with similar marketing names can have different chemistry or application instructions. A documented grade, part number and manufacturing location give the buyer and supplier a common reference if the recipe, substrate or production site changes. That record is particularly useful when multiple contract coaters or regions will use the same finish.
Why Manufacturers Are Looking for Alternatives
European rules provide a timely reason to review material specifications. The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation applies from August 12, 2026, and includes concentration limits for PFAS in food-contact packaging. Separately, the European Chemicals Agency has been assessing a broader PFAS restriction proposal through its scientific committees. ECHA reported in 2026 that its risk assessment committee had adopted an opinion and that the socioeconomic analysis committee expected to complete its final opinion by the end of the year. The proposal and the packaging regulation are separate developments with different scopes. [5] [6]
Customers may also set their own material requirements as part of a product redesign, a request for quotation or a supplier qualification. For example, a brand preparing a new range of consumer goods can ask a contract coater for both a chemical declaration and a result for wear after cleaning. The declaration addresses the formulation. The wear test addresses whether the new surface still looks and feels right after customers use it.
There is a manufacturing reason to revisit the finish even when the immediate trigger is chemistry. A coating process may consume oven time, require extra handling or produce defects at edges. A candidate with a shorter cure is worth evaluating when cure time limits output. A candidate that releases residue more readily may be valuable when the cost is in cleaning or rework. Identifying the cost first helps the team choose a trial that can answer a real business question.
An established coating is also a valuable baseline. Its history reveals what operators can work around, how long parts last and where performance fails. A substitution project can preserve that learning by comparing a candidate against the current production version. A generic reference sample can teach the technical team about chemistry. The actual incumbent shows what a buyer would be giving up or improving.
How Nanize Uses Polysilazane Chemistry
Polysilazanes are polymers with silicon and nitrogen in their backbone. Suitable formulations can cure into a hard, ceramic-like film. During cure, chemical changes can form a network rich in silicon-oxygen bonds. How that network develops and attaches to the underlying material depends on the formulation, surface preparation and process conditions. The cured film can be designed for a particular job, such as easing the removal of marker ink or reducing unwanted sliding friction. [1] [7]
Nanize reports full cure in under one minute below 100 °C for selected coatings on tested aluminum and steel. In its public technical materials, it uses Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy to compare the chemical groups in uncured and cured samples. The result describes the conditions and samples in the published test. A coating trial on a different material, or on a part with edges and recesses, establishes how the process translates to that product. [1] [8]
There is an important relationship between the bulk of the film and its outer surface. A hard, adherent coating needs to survive the wear and cleaning expected in use. The outermost surface determines whether liquid spreads, whether a contaminant sticks and how the part feels against another material. A formulation that excels at one job can face a different challenge in another. That is why the word polysilazane is a starting point for selection, while the specific grade and performance data guide a purchase.
Nanize’s public materials identify application routes such as spraying and roll-to-roll coating. A shop coating formed components cares about transfer efficiency, coverage and handling. A film converter cares about across-web uniformity, line speed and what happens when the coated film is wound or laminated. Even if a cure schedule looks attractive on paper, the complete workflow determines whether it fits the factory. [1]
Where Manufacturers Can Evaluate a Candidate Coating
Release on cookware and industrial bakeware
A cookware brand may need a surface that releases a range of foods, while a bakery may care about how reliably the same recipe releases after many shifts. The buyer can specify what food is used in the evaluation, how often the tray is washed and how release is scored. Any food-contact use requires review of the finished material system under its intended conditions. Nanize lists cookware and bakeware as application areas. [2] [9]
Friction at guides and machine contact points
Packaging manufacturers can lose production time when a guide leaves marks or a container repeatedly hangs up at a transfer. The coating decision starts by confirming which contact causes the problem. A useful trial records stoppages, damaged units and guide wear on the same line at comparable speeds. Low friction is a property of a particular pair of surfaces under defined conditions. The result depends on what the coating slides against and what the contact experiences over time.
Easy cleaning on films and displays
Nanize describes marker-removal work on thermoplastic polyurethane film, commonly called TPU. Film converters can investigate whether a candidate topcoat makes stains easier to remove while retaining flexibility, clarity and handling. Display suppliers can start with smudge visibility and removal, then verify optical performance after repeated cleaning. An easy-clean finish can deliver value through less visible residue or faster cleanup, provided the surface remains within the customer’s optical and appearance specification. [1] [2]
Outdoor protection for buildings and solar assets
An architectural supplier may want a panel that stays presentable through rain, sunlight and cleaning. A solar module supplier may need to protect light transmission while assessing whether a coating reduces soiling or changes cleaning requirements. The buyers share some exposure tests but have different performance goals. For solar glass, a side-by-side comparison in the intended climate and with the existing glass stack gives the result commercial meaning. [2] [10]
Development opportunities in textiles and laminates
Technical fabrics and membranes appear in Nanize’s public discussion of development priorities. The company’s published TPU film work offers a starting point for converters evaluating an exposed film layer. Applying a finish directly to fabric raises questions about flexibility, feel, laundering and breathability. A partner can choose one route and define what the finished material must deliver before comparing samples. [11] [1]
How to Compare Coatings Before Changing a Specification
Write a one-page application brief before asking for samples. Include the substrate and its current finish, the shape or construction of the part, the service temperature and the substances that contact the surface. Describe how it is cleaned or handled and name the failure that motivates the trial. Useful examples include residue that takes too long to remove, a gloss change after wiping, or a scuff that causes a visible reject.
The strongest purchase specification also identifies the baseline and the minimum acceptable measured improvement.
Choose measurements that match the failure. A friction number is useful when the part slides and the test reproduces the contact. For a baking tray, repeatable product release after baking and washing is more informative. For a clear film, transmission, haze and appearance may be as important as stain removal. Where the same part has several requirements, identify which ones are purchase specifications and which can vary within an agreed range.
Use the current production finish as a reference and keep the comparison fair. Samples should match in substrate, geometry and preparation as closely as practical. Record the batch, test method and exposure conditions. Test some samples after repeated use or cleaning, because a first-day result can look different from a result late in the service cycle. A small production run adds evidence about uniformity and the work needed to handle, inspect and pack the coated parts.
Finally, compare cost in the unit the business actually pays for. That could be cost per accepted panel, cost per hour of line downtime or cost per thousand tray uses. Include material, energy, labor, scrap, cleaning and replacement where they matter. For example, a coating that costs more per tray can still be attractive if it substantially extends the period in which trays release reliably and the change is verified under the bakery’s own conditions.
An initial technical discussion can end with a clear next step. Decide which sample represents the application, what reference to use, how to prepare both versions and who will own the test result. Having one decision at the end of the trial keeps it focused. The evidence can support another round of development, a production evaluation or a decision to keep the current finish for that part.
Comparing the Material Routes Available to Buyers
Consider what each alternative would change about the product. A supplier offering a ceramic-like coating is proposing a surface layer. A component supplier offering a different bulk polymer is proposing a change in the part itself. A process engineer may be able to alter contact geometry or cleaning without changing the material. All three approaches can address the same symptom, and each has a different effect on drawings, tooling, procurement and service.
For a formed metal part, a thin functional finish can preserve the dimensions and feel of an established design if it meets the drawing and adhesion requirements. For a replacement guide, choosing a different bulk material may change how the part deflects, wears or attaches to the machine. The relevant cost includes any changes to fixtures, tolerances or replacement stock. Where a surface is only one layer in a complex assembly, retaining the established substrate can simplify a comparison.
Also decide what performance the finished part needs across its life. A release coating can be judged by the force required to remove a material and the residue left behind. A water-repellent coating can be judged by wetting or by how readily droplets move. A wear-resistant surface can be judged by the remaining film, the change in appearance and what happens to the material that rubs against it. Asking a supplier for one score across these functions can obscure the performance that matters to the end user.
Coatings described as ceramic-like can differ in their chemistry, thickness and cure. A sample may feel slick in the hand, while the application involves sustained contact with a different material under load. Put the conditions beside the result so a buyer can compare alternatives fairly. Temperature, time, cleaning chemistry and substrate should be clear wherever a supplier uses terms such as low friction, scratch resistance or easy release.
Moving From a Sample to a Supplier Decision
Commercial discussions become more productive when the test is tied to a purchasing decision. A manufacturer might agree that a candidate can advance if it meets the existing appearance and adhesion requirements and shows a repeatable reduction in cleanup time. A procurement lead can confirm who reviews material declarations. A plant engineer can confirm the area of the line available for an evaluation and how the operators will record production losses.
Agree on what counts as a representative batch before expanding the trial. Include the variation you expect in production, such as a second substrate lot or a different finish color. Measure whether the improvement holds under ordinary operating conditions. If it holds, the supplier and buyer can discuss quality checks, documentation and how changes in materials or processing would be communicated after qualification.
The same approach helps a distributor decide where it can support the coating responsibly. A distributor serving several plants may see the same application repeated, but different sites can use different cleaners, parts or acceptance criteria. One successful result provides a useful reference point for the next buyer. A concise record of the part, method and conditions helps that buyer judge how much of the result transfers to its own operation.
Who Leads Nanize
David Hogg, Chief Executive Officer, brings experience in industrial commercialization and operations. His past roles include Chief Operating Officer at Suntech and CEO of Innotech Solar. At Nanize, the operational question is whether the application and cure can be carried out consistently at the volume a customer needs. That is where evidence from a line trial becomes as important as a laboratory sample. [12] [13] [14]
Dr. Kingsley Iwu, Chief Technology Officer and co-founder, leads the materials work. Nanize lists his background in chemistry, materials science and nanotechnology. He is named on the company’s U.S. patent for polysilazane compositions. For a customer, his area of work connects the choice of formulation with adhesion, curing and the performance the finished surface has to deliver. [12] [15]
Håvard Lillebo, Chief Financial Officer and co-founder, brings experience building industrial companies. He and Iwu are named on a U.S. patent for a polysilazane coating method and device assigned to Nanize AS. The finance perspective matters because qualification, pilot runs and capacity all cost money. A joint evaluation helps partners decide which milestones justify further investment. [12] [16]
Jerry Stokes, Chief Commercial Officer, has worked across batteries, solar manufacturing and commercial markets. He previously led Suntech Europe and serves as a Senior Advisor to the Global Solar Council. At Nanize, he is a public contact for buyers and partners who want to discuss a coating problem, an industrial collaboration or an event where the technology could be relevant. [12] [13] [17]
Frequently Asked Questions About PFAS Free Coatings
Does PFAS free mean the same thing as PFOA free
The terms describe different scopes. PFOA is one substance. PFAS describes a broad group. A PFOA-free declaration alone addresses the named substance. A PFAS-free claim should identify the formulation or article it covers and what definition or test supports it. Buyers can ask about PTFE separately if the current product specification mentions a fluoropolymer coating. [3] [4]
Can polysilazane replace PTFE
Polysilazane is a candidate when the required properties can be demonstrated in the intended application. A successful replacement for an easy-clean panel may need entirely different properties from a replacement on a moving industrial contact or a food-contact surface. Compare both options on the actual part for service temperature, adhesion, wear and the functional property you are trying to retain.
Can Nanize coat plastic and glass
Nanize publishes application examples involving glass, metals and selected plastics, including TPU film. Suitability depends on the formulation and the intended substrate. The application and cure can affect appearance, flexibility and adhesion, so a trial on representative samples is useful. A transparent material also needs optical measurements appropriate to the product. [1] [2]
Which industries are a good fit for a first trial
A promising trial has a recurring surface problem, a representative part, a buyer who can define acceptance and a way to compare the result against the current finish. That can be a conveyor guide, film, cladding sample, display cover or bakery tray. A small, measurable project gives both partners a better basis for deciding whether the technology fits than a broad brief to improve every surface in a product range.
What documents should a coatings buyer request
Start with a technical data sheet, appropriate safety information, a written declaration for the grade under consideration and performance data with the underlying test conditions. Ask which substrate and preparation were used and how results were measured. Where the final product has legal, customer or food-contact requirements, agree who will review the complete material system and retain the supporting records.
Discuss an Application With Nanize
Nanize is looking for manufacturers, development and distribution partners, investors and opportunities at relevant industry events. Start with the part, the current finish and one result you want to improve. That gives the company enough context to discuss a representative sample, useful tests and a realistic path to a pilot. Prospective partners can reach Chief Commercial Officer Jerry Stokes at js@nanize.com or use the Nanize contact page. [18] [12]
Sources
1. Nanize coating technology and test results
2. Nanize coating applications
3. OECD PFAS terminology and structural definitions
4. FDA on authorized PFAS uses in food-contact applications
5. European Commission on the 2026 packaging rules
6. ECHA scientific review of the broader PFAS restriction proposal
7. 2025 review of polysilazane chemistry and coating applications
8. Nanize technical feature with FTIR and cure data
9. FDA on the regulatory status of food-contact components
10. IEA PVPS report on soiling losses and mitigation
11. Nanize development priorities
12. Nanize executive team and business contacts
13. Suntech executive appointments and biographies
14. Innotech Solar announcement of David Hogg as CEO
15. US 12,129,396 B2 on polysilazane compositions
16. USPTO record for US 12,643,984 B2