TMCC Co., Ltd. is continuing its evolution into a materials company specializing in ESG by developing low-carbon, fluoroolefin (HFO) materials.

TMC announced that it is participating in the 'Carbon Neutral Industrial Core Technology Development Project' hosted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology Evaluation and Planning, and is developing technology to domestically produce HFO (Hydro-fluoro-olefin) compounds, a material for semiconductor etching processes that reduce GWP (global warming potential).

The government announced a gradual reduction in HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons) by the end of 2024 and decided to actively support the transition to eco-friendly alternatives, and the key project for this is TMC's HFO domestic production project.

HFO has an extremely low global warming potential compared to existing CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) and HFCs, and is thus attracting attention as a semiconductor etching gas. However, since the country relies entirely on imports, there is serious supply chain instability.

TMC aims to develop full-process technology from HFO synthesis to purification and charging in collaboration with Sungkyunkwan University and the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science to establish a stable supply and demand base for the semiconductor industry.


TMC will invest a total of more than KRW 30 billion in research and development and production facilities from 2025 to 2030 to complete the entire line of low-GWP HFO compounds.

Specifically, the company will develop HFO synthesis technology and build a pilot plant, introduce high-purity HFO purification and analysis equipment, build an automated HFO filling and packaging system for semiconductors, and develop a real-time monitoring solution to respond to safety and environmental regulations.

The domestic market size is estimated at approximately $100 million (KRW 130 billion) as of 2023, and the global market is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 18.2% from $2.5 billion in 2021 to $11.2 billion in 2028.

If TMC succeeds in its development, it will have the effect of substituting domestic imports and establish a foundation for monopolizing the entire market.

Based on its experience in localizing supply chain unstable gases such as neon (Ne), diborane (B₂H₆), and deuterium (D₂), TMC expressed its ambition to establish itself as a leader in the eco-friendly HFO market through this project.

A TMC official said, “We will maximize the competitiveness of the HFO market based on the synthesis and refining technology secured through the execution of multiple national projects,” and “We will inject new vitality into the domestic eco-friendly material industry through government support and industry-academia cooperation.”

This project is a business that concentrates TMC's technological capabilities and ESG management philosophy as a semiconductor special gas specialist.

By supplying eco-friendly HFO that can be applied to eight major processes, including exposure, ion implantation, deposition, and diffusion, in addition to the semiconductor etching process, it is expected to contribute to achieving the carbon neutrality goal of the domestic semiconductor industry.