Weekly Update: Project Clean Up Newsletter - Vol. 1, Issue 28

Date: December 12, 2025

The Ultimate Lubricant: Unmasking the Persistence of PFPEs

Welcome back to the Project Clean Up (PCU) weekly newsletter! This week, we confront a different kind of advanced material: Perfluoropolyethers (PFPEs).

PFPEs are a class of high-performance fluorinated polymers used in critical, demanding applications—from lubricants in aerospace, nuclear, and military systems to vacuum pump oils in semiconductor manufacturing and heat transfer fluids. They are renowned for their unmatched thermal stability, chemical inertness, and low friction. . These qualities make them essential for cutting-edge technology, but they also classify them as "forever chemicals" that persist in the environment.

The good news is that PFPEs have a strong link to our core research. Studies show their degradation is catalyzed by Lewis acids—the very chemistry we are pioneering. This proves that our targeted approach is the key to managing even the most technologically advanced and persistent fluorocarbons.