Domestic researchers have succeeded in the localization of fluorinated fluids, an essential material in the chemical industry. This substance has been vital in the manufacturing of semiconductors and precision instruments, but a certain foreign corporation has dominated 90% of the market, leading to a reliance on imports.
Researcher Lee Sang-gu and his team from the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology developed a manufacturing technology for hydrogen fluoride ether (HFE) by introducing a special fluorinated conductive additive into the existing methods of producing fluorinated fluids, they noted on the 5th.
Fluorinated fluids are key materials used as coolants and cleaning agents in electronic products, semiconductors, and precision instruments. However, existing 'perfluorinated fluids' have high carbon emissions, making it necessary to replace them with eco-friendly fluids for environmental reasons. Consequently, HFE, which is eco-friendly and high-performing, has emerged as an alternative, but domestic production was not possible.
To this end, the research team developed a technology to efficiently combine fluorine with raw materials and completed a method for producing HFE. Generally, to produce HFE, a fluorination reaction is used to convert hydrogen from hydrocarbon raw materials into a substance called 'intermediate,' after which additional chemical reactions are conducted to produce HFE. In the existing method, the process of making the intermediate faced issues with reaction efficiency, resulting in low productivity. The researchers successfully increased the reaction rate and reduced byproducts by adding a conductive fluorinated additive.
To facilitate this, they designed and built a reactor equipped with a nickel electrode plate that promotes smooth electrochemical reactions. As a result of utilizing the reactor, they confirmed an environment conducive to smooth fluorination reactions and completed a stable electrochemical fluorination device after commissioning and rigorous inspection. The research team also found that the existing technology converted only about 50% of the raw materials into the final product, but with the new technology, the conversion rate increased to 62-66%.
The results of this study have been transferred to the domestic corporation Pureman, and additional research for commercialization is currently underway. Lee Sang-gu, the senior researcher, stated, "This achievement will serve as a stepping stone to accelerate technological independence through the acquisition of core technology for fluorochemical materials that are highly dependent on global corporations," and added, "Through subsequent research, we will lead advanced material technology applicable to various industries."