Towards a greener kitchen: Can sol-gel ceramic non-stick coatings replace polytetrafluoroethylene?

• The proposed pancake batter facilitated the comparison of the non-stick capability of ceramic coatings with release forces ranging from 4 to 14 kPa that are similar to Teflon®. • Wettability is not an appropriate indicator of the anti-sticking ability of all types of sol-gel ceramic coatings. • Typical fluoropolymer coatings such as PTFE outperformed sol-gel ceramic coatings object of this study, especially in terms of the durability of its non-stick performance under cooking conditions. • The evaluation procedure used was objective and versatile, and presented a cost-effective solution for the determination of non-stick qualities of ceramic coatings. • Sol-gel ceramic coatings that includes chromium/silicon oxides and/or carbides have been shown promising as alternatives, but require improvements to maintain in their abrasion resistance and non-stick capability after a certain number of cycles of use under cooking conditions. This study assessed the performance of five ceramic coatings against PTFE coating evaluating durability and nonstick properties. The tests included Raman spectroscopy, peel force measurement with a model food, water droplet sliding angle, surface roughness, and wear resistance using brown corundum and walnut shell projected abrasives. The ceramic coatings were applied by sol-gel process, enabling the formation of thin, homogeneous films with high structural stability against wear. Results revealed that PTFE coating maintained low and consistent peel force/stress after 90 cooking cycles, with an average value up to three times lower than the best ceramic coating. PTFE also outperformed ceramics in resisting severe wear by action of projected abrasive particles. However, the PPG ECM and Akcoat CC ceramic coatings demonstrated competitive performance, with peel stress ranging from 4 - 6 kPa to 12.7 - 14.7 kPa after 30–60 cycles, respectively. These coatings provided better balance between non-stick and abrasion resistance than PTFE. They also performed well against impact abrasion (brown corundum) and shear abrasion (walnut shell), maintaining their integrity even with 50–60 % thinner thicknesses than other ceramics. Additionally, they allowed nearly twice as many cooking cycles without losing their non-stick properties compared to the other ceramics tested. Although PTFE remains the standard under extreme conditions, these ceramic coatings showed exceptional performance in shear wear situations, suggesting their potential as an eco-friendly alternative to fluoropolymers in applications where this effect is significant. With formulation improvements, these ceramic coatings could become the preferred choice in the kitchenware industry, offering durability and sustainability.