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- Q&A
We are a major player in the consumer health and grooming industry, committed to advancing innovative solutions that enhance consumer safety and performance.
Current razor blade coatings rely on perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) due to their extremely low coefficient of friction and reliable adhesion. However, with the phase-out of PFAS due to regulatory and environmental pressures, there is an urgent need for effective PFAS-free alternatives.
Our internal teams have already tested over 100 PFAS-free candidates. While these alternatives demonstrated potential, none achieved the required combination of low coefficient of friction (~0.02 in normal atmosphere) and strong adhesion comparable to PTFE, leading to coatings that fail after only one or two shaves. Adhesion challenges and insufficient lubricity remain the primary barriers to adoption.
A successful solution that provides lubricity and adhesion comparable to PTFE would support product longevity and sustainability while ensuring compliance with regulatory expectations.
We are looking for PFAS-free lubricious coating technologies that can deliver extremely low friction, strong adhesion to existing blade coatings (chromium, chromium nitride, or diamond-like carbon), and durability under shaving conditions (normal pressure on blade facet during shaving is ~5-200 MPa). The blades are manufactured from stainless steels and first coated with hard layers such as chromium, chromium nitride, or diamond-like carbon (DLC), onto which the lubricious PFAS-free coating must adhere. While we are open to changing this bonding surface if required, such modifications would involve significant development for full-scale production, though they could be more easily implemented at the testing stage; switching to metallic interlayers is generally simpler than to ceramic ones.
- Biomimetic coatings inspired by natural low-friction surfaces
- High-performance polymer alternatives (e.g., PEEK, PPS, advanced silicones)
- Hybrid multilayer systems (e.g., metallic or ceramic interlayer + lubricious topcoat)
- Innovative material systems engineered for lubricity and adhesion
- Novel deposition methods for ultra-thin lubricious films
- Sol-gel derived ultra-thin ceramic coatings
- Strong adhesion to the top ~100 microns of thousands of high-aspect-ratio blades (~400 microns in length each)
- Low coefficient of friction, comparable to PTFE
- Ultra-thin, ideally <0.5 microns in thickness (maximum 1 micron)
- Application process must not require curing above 400 °C
- Coating shows durability indicators beyond lab tests (e.g., extended cycle testing)
- Demonstrated biocompatibility or compliance with ISO 10993 for skin contact
- Scalable deposition method suitable for high-volume blade manufacturing
The Q&A is now closed.
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