en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Korea Institute of Energy Research announced on the 11th that a team led by Principal Researcher Yoon Hyung-chul from its Clean Fuel Research Laboratory has successfully developed South Korea's first production technology for high-purity deuterated ammonia (ND₃), achieving a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 7 or above (out of 9 levels) in product production demonstration.
Deuterated ammonia (ND₃) is a high-value-added isotope material used in semiconductor manufacturing processes for high-density DRAM and SONOS (Silicon-Oxide-Nitride-Oxide-Silicon) flash memory processes. Currently, South Korea has no ND₃ production facilities and relies heavily on imports.
The research team applied a self-developed ruthenium catalyst to successfully produce deuterated ammonia at a scale of 7.7 kg per day, with power consumption below 50 kWh per kilogram of deuterated ammonia produced. This catalyst reduces the pressure required by existing deuterated ammonia synthesis methods to one-fifth and improves temperature conditions, enabling the synthesis of high-purity deuterated ammonia with a purity of over 99%. The team also completed verification of continuous operation for over 1,000 hours and obtained certification from the Korea Testing Laboratory. No impurities such as 49 types of metals were detected in the produced ammonia.
The research team stated that this ammonia can be immediately applied in fields such as specialty gases for semiconductor plasma processes, isotope materials for displays and next-generation electronic components, reagents for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis, materials for isotope tracing research and precision chemical reaction studies, and production platforms for high-value-added isotope specialty gases.
Principal Researcher Yoon Hyung-chul stated that by securing domestic production bases, import dependence can be reduced, and there is potential to enter the global specialty gas market in the future. The team plans to formally advance into the isotope material market for semiconductors, displays, and fine chemical industries through process optimization and production scale expansion.
This article is compiled by Wedoany. All AI citations must indicate the source as "Wedoany". If there is any infringement or other issues, please notify us promptly, and we will modify or delete it accordingly. Email: news@wedoany.com
