A small Virginia Beach-based company helps protect workers from invisible dangers lurking in chemical manufacturing plants throughout the world.
Morphix Technologies, founded in 1991 as Gilian Environmental, develops, manufactures and sells easy-to-use, lightweight and inexpensive colorimetric chemical and explosive detection products. Its growing portfolio includes four product lines: SafeAir chemical detection badges, TraceX explosive detection kits, Chameleon chemical detection armbands and ChromAir chemical detection badges.
The sensors are used in more than 60 countries to help protect first responders and military and industry personnel.
Morphix’s latest product, within its SafeAir product line, is a color-changing badge that helps to detect a toxic by-product of Teflon.
While most people have some type of nonstick coated Teflon product in their home, they may not realize what happens during the manufacturing process, said Kimberly Chapman, Morphix’s vice president of sales and marketing.
Perfluoroisobutylene, more commonly known as PFIB, is a highly toxic colorless and odorless gas produced during fluoropolymer production that is ultimately destroyed during the manufacturing process.
Stressing that it is not an environmental hazard but rather an inhalation hazard to the workers, Chapman said breathing in even a small amount of the gas can be deadly.
“When you get exposed, it literally destroys your lungs,” she said.
In 2019, Morphix responded to a request and received close to $175,000 in funding from Chemours, previously a division of DuPont, to help create a badge to safeguard employees industrywide.
But, the pandemic slowed things down tremendously, Chapman said.
“What should have been like an 18-month project turned into almost a five-year project,” she said.
The color-changing badges were completed, validated and became available for purchase this year.
Teflon is produced by about 22 companies worldwide, including several in the U.S., Europe, Japan and China, she said. Morphix is marketing its technology and hopes to get it in every single plant. The badges, packaged in boxes of 50, are good for 24-hour intervals.
“We had requests before it was even available,” Chapman said. “It’s going to protect lives and that’s what makes us feel good. We come to work every day and we’re making a difference.”
Sandra J. Pennecke, 757-652-5836, sandra.pennecke@pilotonline.com
