'Power of disorder' tames CF₄, a semiconductor greenhouse gas that can persist for 50,000 years
Researchers at KAIST have developed a new catalyst that efficiently breaks down CF₄, a potent greenhouse gas used in semiconductor manufacturing. By using a mix of metal atoms, the team created a more stable and durable catalyst that helps mitigate the environmental impact of chip production.
Why it matters
CF₄ is a highly persistent greenhouse gas with 6,000 times the warming potential of CO2; this technology offers a critical path to reducing the carbon footprint of the semiconductor industry.
by The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
edited by Swati Mestri , reviewed by Robert Egan
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:
Add as preferred source Design and CF 4 removal performance of an aluminate catalyst incorporating multiple evenly mixed metals for treating the semiconductor process gas CF 4 . Credit: KAIST Among the gases used in semiconductor manufacturing, tetrafluoromethane (CF₄) is a greenhouse gas more than 6,000 times as potent as carbon dioxide.
A KAIST research team has developed a technology that removes this gas with high efficiency while extending the usable lifetime of the catalyst that helps break it down by harnessing the "power of disorder," in which mixing multiple metal atoms stabilizes the catalyst's structure.
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