3M Novec discontinued status is now official. 3M’s Novec and Fluorinert engineered fluids — long used for heat transfer, electronics cooling, and precision cleaning — are fully phased out. 3M announced its exit from PFAS manufacturing on December 20, 2022, with a deadline to discontinue all PFAS-containing products, including the full Novec and Fluorinert lines, by the end of 2025. Now that 3M Novec is discontinued, if your facility still runs equipment that depends on these fluids, the time to act is now — not when your current stock runs out.

This guide covers why 3M Novec was discontinued, which fluids replace which Novec or Fluorinert product, and the exact steps to qualify and transition to an alternative without disrupting production.

Novec and Fluorinert fluids belong to the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) family — chemicals nicknamed “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down in the environment and can accumulate in human and animal tissue over time. Regulatory pressure on PFAS has intensified globally, including in the US (EPA) and EU, and this is why 3M Novec is discontinued: 3M made the decision to exit PFAS manufacturing entirely rather than continue producing under tightening restrictions.

This wasn’t a sudden recall — 3M gave the market a three-year runway from announcement to deadline. That window has now closed, which means 3M Novec is discontinued for good:

• New stock of genuine 3M Novec/Fluorinert is no longer being manufactured.
• Remaining distributor inventory is finite and will not be replenished.
• Facilities still dependent on these fluids face a supply cliff, not a gradual decline.

See the full alternatives and ordering page →

These replacements are formulated as hydrofluoroethers (HFE) and fluorinated ketones (FK) — the same chemical families that gave Novec its non-conductive, low-toxicity, fast-evaporating performance, without the PFAS persistence issue. See our full 3M Novec & Fluorinert Alternatives page for performance specs and ordering.

• Audit every line and tool that specifies Novec or Fluorinert by name
• Confirm remaining on-hand stock and realistic run-out date
• Identify the matching replacement fluid from the table above
• Request a sample or trial quantity for in-process qualification
• Run qualification testing against your performance spec
• Update SOPs, safety data sheets, and supplier records once qualified
• Lock in supply with a local distributor to avoid future shortage

Heat transfer and cleaning fluids are regulated chemicals — sourcing through a distributor with local stock, documentation, and engineering support in Singapore avoids the customs delays, MSDS gaps, and qualification guesswork that come with sourcing internationally on your own. Tech Gate Engineering has supplied vacuum and precision process equipment to Singapore’s semiconductor, solar, and industrial sectors since 2019, and supports manufacturers through the qualification and transition process directly now that 3M Novec is discontinued.

Is 3M Novec still available to buy?

Only from existing distributor stock — it will not be replenished.

What’s the best replacement for Novec 7100/ 7200/ 7300/ 7500?

HFE-7100/ 7200/ 7300/7500 are the closest-performing replacement for most applications.

Why did 3M discontinue these Novec and Fluorinert?

3M announced on December 20, 2022 that it would exit all PFAS manufacturing by the end of 2025, citing tightening environmental regulation and the long-term health and environmental concerns associated with PFAS (“forever chemicals”).

How long does it typically take to qualify a new fluid?

This varies by process, but starting qualification now — rather than after stock runs out — gives you a normal testing timeline instead of an emergency one.