Most of the 10 biggest manufacturers of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, have plans to increase production to meet demand from the artificial intelligence industry, according to a survey by ChemSec, a Swedish chemicals watchdog.
The chemicals are used in semiconductor manufacturing and in some next-generation data-centre cooling systems. ChemSec warned that expanded production could undermine efforts to restrict PFAS in Europe, the UK and parts of the US.
Where the new demand is coming from
Daikin, headquartered in Japan, said it was launching a data-centre hub and would expand sales of existing fluorine products while introducing new ones. France-based Arkema is expanding its refrigerant offering through a new $60m production unit in Kentucky, which it said would meet the growth of data-centre cooling needs. Read the context: Unusual batteries like molten salt and sweat offer new ways to store renewable energy.
US producer Chemours cited demand from advanced data centres and AI hardware. Other companies identified by the survey as increasing production were AGC, Dongyue, Gujarat Fluorochemicals, HaloPolymer, Orbia Fluor & Energy Materials, Solstice and Syensqo. Related coverage: Africa Shield 2026 Workshop Focuses on Securing Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Materials.
Manufacturers also pointed to PFAS coatings and binders used in lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, laptops and phones. Gujarat Fluorochemicals chief executive Bir Kapoor described batteries, data centres, semiconductors and green hydrogen as growth sectors.
Why PFAS are used in AI infrastructure
In two-phase immersion cooling, servers are placed in a pool of PFAS with a low boiling point. Heat makes the fluid boil; the vapour rises to a water-cooled condensing coil, returns to liquid and re-enters the system. The technology is promoted as more water- and energy-efficient.
PFAS are also used in semiconductor fabrication. An investor note from Danske Bank said the chemicals can be involved in as many as 1,000 distinct microchip-manufacturing steps. Their resistance to heat, water and corrosion makes them useful, but the same properties leave them virtually indestructible in the natural environment.
Health and regulatory concerns
ChemSec executive director Anne-Sofie Bäckar said the expansion plans showed that governments and regulators would need to require a rapid phaseout to avoid a new increase in forever chemicals. Analysts have described PFAS as a potential source of multibillion-euro remediation and litigation liabilities linked to the AI boom.
PFAS accumulate in air, water, soil and the food chain. Research has linked them to cancer, liver disease, kidney issues, high cholesterol and birth defects, while scientists have warned that their environmental accumulation has breached a planetary boundary. ChemSec said the chemicals have been detected in the blood of more than 99% of people worldwide.
ChemSec sent finger-prick blood tests to the chief executives of European companies in its top 10 and asked them to test their own PFAS levels and publish the results.
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