Wear-resistant without PTFE: How the materials industry is responding to PFAS regulation
They are found in bearings, valves and guides, where their primary function is to glide with low friction, day in, day out, without grease. For decades, PTFE has often been the material of choice for this purpose. However, this classic plastic is classified as a PFAS – and its days in the EU could be numbered. The question is therefore no longer whether PTFE will be replaced, but by what
PFAS restrictions in the EU: Why alternatives to PTFE are now in demand
4.4 million tonnes: according to , this is the amount of PFAS that, based on a 2023 estimate by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), could enter the environment over the next 30 years if no countermeasures are taken. The cause for concern is the highly stable fluorine-carbon bond, which means that many PFAS hardly degrade at all – hence their nickname ‘forever chemicals’. However, not all PFAS are the same: the group of substances is large, and their properties vary greatly. The assessment is particularly controversial when it comes to fluoropolymers such as PTFE. Industry representatives argue that these high-molecular-weight, chemically very stable plastics should be assessed differently from small, mobile PFAS molecules – and are calling for them to be considered separately.
Five European countries now wish to take countermeasures and have applied for a far-reaching restriction on this group of substances. In March 2026, the ECHA’s Committee for Risk Assessment also endorsed the proposal. For anyone who manufactures plain bearings, guides or other moving parts, this raises an urgent question: what can replace PTFE – without compromising the coefficient of friction and service life?
Why is this important? The timetable for the EU PFAS restriction
- January 2023: Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden submit a proposal to ECHA to restrict around 10,000 PFAS
- Without action , ECHA estimates that around 4.4 million tonnes of PFAS would be released into the environment over the next 30 years.
- March 2026: The Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) publishes its final opinion. It estimates that the restriction will reduce PFAS emissions by around 96 per cent over 30 years.
- May 2026: The public consultation on the draft opinion of the Committee for Socio-Economic Analysis (SEAC) closes.
- End of 2026 (expected): Final SEAC opinion. The European Commission will then draw up a draft legislative proposal, which will be discussed by the Member States, the European Parliament and the Council.
- Exemptions: The SEAC considers an immediate total ban to be disproportionate. Temporary exemptions are under discussion – possibly for up to twelve years for medical devices.
PTFE-free 3D printing resin: up to 122 times less wear
One company driving this change is igus, for example. The Cologne-based firm had long relied on PTFE for the self-lubricating effect of its materials. With the iglidur i2000 resin, unveiled in November 2025 at Compamed, PTFE-free solid lubricants now fulfil this role. The result: components that operate in dry conditions without any grease whatsoever. igus is primarily targeting laboratory technology, diagnostics and surgical robotics.
Many manufacturers in sensitive sectors such as medical technology are therefore already looking for alternative 3D printing materials
According to igus, the resin contains none of the 96 PFAS substances classified as critical in concentrations exceeding 0.1 per cent by mass. And what about wear? In laboratory tests, a stainless steel test specimen slid across the resin surface at 0.5 m/s and a contact pressure of 1.4 MPa. According to igus, the wear rate fell from 63.97 µm/km for standard resin to 0.52 µm/km – an improvement by a factor of 122. The material can withstand temperatures of –20 to +100 °C continuously, and up to 140 °C for short periods. It is printed on DLP, LCD and SLA printers. Typical applications include miniature gears, rotary valves and swivelling levers. A side note: for the specific manufacture of gears , igus refers to the special material iglidur i4000 on its product page.
PFAS-free compounds: sliding materials for injection moulding and series production
Even beyond 3D printing, it is possible to do without PTFE. The compounding company Lehvoss relies on formulations entirely free of fluoropolymers for its PFAS-free Luvocom grades – based on PA, POM, PBT, PPS or PEEK, some of which are carbon-fibre-reinforced. And apparently without any loss of performance: According to Lehvoss, the materials achieve comparable or even significantly better friction and wear values than variants containing fluoropolymers.
The range of applications is broad: plain bearings in the automotive and mechanical engineering sectors, pumps, valves, drives – right through to food and medical technology, for example for low-friction guides or sliding elements in invasive instruments. And even under heat, the materials keep their cool: In a practical example, the coefficient of friction remained consistently low in an endurance test up to 200 °C. The resin really comes into its own with prototypes, small batches and intricate parts that emerge from the printer with precision and smooth surfaces. Compounds for injection moulding and extrusion, on the other hand, are designed for large-scale production. Ultimately, the choice of the right approach depends on the quantity, geometry and temperature load.
What are PFAS, fluoropolymers and PTFE?
- PFAS ( ) are carbon compounds in which the hydrogen atoms are wholly or partially replaced by fluorine. The group comprises more than 10,000 substances.
- ‘Forever chemicals’: The fluorine-carbon bond is very stable. Consequently, PFAS do not degrade in the environment and accumulate.
- Fluoropolymers are plastics made from fluorine-containing building blocks. These include PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), known, for example, as the non-stick coating in frying pans.
- Why is PTFE used in sliding plastics? Because of its very low coefficient of friction, it is used as an additive to enable components to slide without the need for additional lubrication.
What this means: As PTFE belongs to the PFAS group of substances, it is, in principle, covered by the proposed EU restriction.
Resin printing without PTFE: What users should bear in mind
However, there is no getting away from the small print entirely. Resin printing produces precise parts, but the liquid, uncured resin needs to be handled with care. For this reason, the Photopolymer Additive Manufacturing Alliance (PAMA) advises to handle UV-curing resins in the same way as other chemicals: gloves, safety goggles, lab coats, controlled storage and disposal. Added to this are post-processing steps such as cleaning and UV post-curing. Mechanically speaking, resins are not a sure-fire solution either: standard types wear out quickly in parts subject to continuous movement. However, it is precisely this gap that tribologically optimised engineering resins are designed to fill. Whether they deliver in long-term use what the laboratory promises, however, will only become clear in actual application – no data sheet can replace practical testing.
So we haven’t said a final goodbye to PTFE just yet – but the alternatives are catching up noticeably. From 3D-printing resins to mass-produced compounds, there are sliding materials that can keep pace when it comes to wear
Exhibitors & products relating to machinery & equipment
Author: Ann-Kathrin Ullrich | K-Mag
Ann-Kathrin Ullrich enjoys explaining how new ideas from research, technology and industry are changing everyday life. Alongside her work for EuroShop-Mag, she focuses on plastics and rubber in K-Mag: from new materials and processing methods through to testing technology and issues relating to the circular economy.
