Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are small molecules used as surfactants in fluoropolymer production, in consumer products, and in fire-fighting foams. They contaminate waters worldwide and are associated with adverse human health effects, necessitating effective remediation strategies. Motivated by the limitations of current technologies, we identified two design parameters native to PFAS, fluorophilicity and ion exchange, which we hypothesized we could leverage for selective PFAS sorption. The synthesis of systematic libraries of Ionic Fluorogels with varied compositions of fluorous and electrostatic components led to the identification of optimized resins demonstrating selective, rapid removal of PFAS, facile regeneration, and promising removal of PFAS from natural waters. Leveraging these design principles enabled further materials development and optimization, as well as practical testing in flow-through packed bed columns.

Ionic fluorogels for remediation of PFAS from water

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ACS Fall 2022

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