Greene Tweed Innovation Award Winner Spotlight:
PFAS-free Seals with Potential to Surpass Incumbent FKM in Cleanliness
When a semiconductor customer came searching for seals free from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) for their highly critical application, the talented team of scientists, engineers, and technicians at Greene Tweed (GT) sprang into action. They developed customized, next-generation, PFAS-free elastomers that meet the customer's extreme cleanliness and performance demands, with potential to surpass the incumbent FKM in the application. Originally engineered for semiconductor manufacturing, these PFAS-free sealing solutions hold promise for many industries facing similar sustainability and performance objectives.
To honor this significant achievement, Greene Tweed awarded the team with its prestigious Innovation Award, which spotlights and rewards exceptional efforts to push the boundaries of innovation and collaboration. The accomplishment, now patent-pending, was driven by a six-member team that included Senior Scientist Peri Periyasamy, Senior Technical Advisor Dr. Ron Campbell, Senior Engineer Pat Carroll, Development Engineer Vince McGlynn, Senior Technician Josh Peart, and Technician Jason Beirne.
Soon after the special event, where Chairman Allon Bloch presented the award to the winning team, we sat down with them to learn about the groundbreaking solution.
1. Let’s start with what you’re being recognized for. Tell us about your achievement.
Peri: In April 2023, I started and led the development of PFAS-free elastomers under GT’s Breakthrough Technology group. For about two years, I collaborated closely with Ron (Campbell) on this project. During the first year, we identified various PFAS-free polymer resins, fillers, and other additives. We sourced them, formulated and made seals from them, selected test methods, and tested their performance against incumbent PFAS-based FKM (Fluoroelastomer) and FFKM (Perfluoroelastomer) seals.
During the second year, we worked closely with multiple customers on their key performance requirements and testing methods. Using this input, we tested the PFAS-free seals against PFAS-based seals to meet customer's key specs. Based on their requirements, we down-selected our PFAS-free elastomer formulations for scale-up studies.
Ron: The achievement was to simply recognize the need and a path to develop a tailor-made PFAS-free product. We were able to meet customer's needs in a highly-sensitive seal application with very stringent requirements that currently uses an FKM elastomer. This product line underscores our commitment to innovation and sustainability, and will help establish GT as a go-to supplier for PFAS-free seals.
2. What does this award mean to you personally and professionally?
Peri: In general, new technology development initiatives take several years to progress, from the invention phase to the product development phase. In this case, our team did an outstanding job of collaborating with multiple customers over a short period of time. It expedited GT’s understanding of customer's specs and testing methods, which has helped us move into the product development phase very fast.
I am thankful to the Advanced Technology Group (ATG) management team for nominating us and our CEO Magen Buterbaugh and her leadership team for selecting us as the recipients. I am highly optimistic that the PFAS-free seals will soon grow GT businesses significantly, once commercialized. Personally, I joined Greene Tweed in 2018 with a vision of creating a legacy. Seeing this vision begin to materialize fills me with pride.
Jason: As a new addition to the ATG – Sealing Systems team, I greatly appreciate this award. It highlights how out-of-the-box thinking is not only recognized, but also impactful. Working on this project has strengthened my understanding of many new processes, and I look forward to utilizing this knowledge in upcoming projects.
3. Can you share the journey behind the innovation that led to this award?
Peri: The first year of the project was scoped on a lean and agile method to study technical feasibility. During the second year, we focused on aligning with customer specs and test methods. The amazing thing is that our ATG team’s agility, intelligence, and hard work enabled us to meet customer's needs and timelines, even with the inherent difficulties of new technology innovations.
Ron: We knew the customer's requirements would be difficult to meet but were achievable. We quickly identified possible materials and then selected the cure system and the best available fillers for the customer's requirements.
4. How would you describe the impact of your innovation?
Pat: Many companies are making changes to either their processes or materials used in their applications to utilize PFAS-free materials. This innovation could be huge for GT, since this is our first opportunity to replace an FKM material with a PFAS-free alternative that has the potential to overcome the incumbent FKM in cleanliness.
5. How do you envision the trajectory of your innovation?
Pat: The lessons learned and insights gained from this innovation will help reduce the timeline to develop future PFAS-free materials. We are only beginning to explore the potential of this new technology. Already, multiple major customers have expressed interest in our initial formula.
Vince: I see this compound being used in several applications in the future, particularly in spaces where cleanliness and PFAS-free parts are a requirement. This compound offers a sustainable solution for established markets, meeting new health and environmental regulations, while maintaining performance in demanding conditions. I believe this will allow GT to gain market share and increase revenue. I am excited to work on scaling up the compound and seeing it commercialized.
6. What were the most significant lessons or insights you gained from this experience?
Vince: Innovation projects tend to have unexpected challenges. Learning to be flexible as you work through such challenges is important for the success of any project. We learned about scope creep and changing customer specifications throughout this process. While these shifts are inherent to research and development, it is important to minimize this where possible. This experience has been a big part of my professional growth. Collaborating with customers and presenting important topics is a big opportunity. It's incredibly rewarding to work on a project that has a real impact and I am excited for what the future holds.
Josh: This project focused on pushing the limits of our processing capabilities and maximizing our attention to detail on every step of the process. We targeted the complete elimination of all forms of contamination from every area of the process. Learning how to control and eliminate contamination was the biggest contributing factor in meeting the customer spec we were targeting, and it was rewarding to see the results of our trials. This laid a foundation for me to understand the processes more in-depth and where to target when problems arise, depending on customer requirements.
7. Do you want to acknowledge the role of any collaborators who played a role in supporting or nurturing the innovation process?
Vince: We would like to acknowledge George Gillmer, former ATG Technician. George conducted a lot of the initial hands-on work as a foundation for this process. Additionally, Technology Manager Fazel Zare Bidoky has dedicated a lot of time and knowledge to this project. Fazel has been a tremendous leader and has supported this project since his start here at GT. Lastly, we would like to recognize Dr. Mubashir AA. Dr. Mubashir worked on this project as a university collaborator. The work of these individuals and all others not mentioned is greatly appreciated.
Josh: George Gilmer, tech for 40+ years, trained me in my role in ATG and started this project last year. He laid all the groundwork and processes for me to follow in his footsteps and help get the project over the initial goal line. Jason Beirne, Technician also helped move the project along while I was on paternity leave and was instrumental in getting the initial samples to customers. We greatly appreciate the work of these individuals, and all others who contributed.
8. Any advice for other aspiring innovators?
Ron: Have Fun. Enjoy your work. Clearly understand the need and technology involved in achieving your objectives. Put in the extra effort to solve any problems that come up with a project, but be willing to quickly kill an idea that proves unworkable. Take the time to listen to your coworkers and appreciate the customers who are open to new ideas and recipes that allow you to develop a final product, design its parts, and ultimately sell and support something as simple yet essential as the round, black O-ring!
By combining advanced material science with a customer-centric approach, Greene Tweed’s latest PFAS-free sealing solutions solve a complex, high-impact problem facing some of the most demanding industrial applications. This commitment to innovation has been a core value driving Greene Tweed’s success for 163 years, and it continues to shape our future. Stay tuned, we’ll share more details about the new PFAS-free elastomer soon.