Semiconductor commonly used parts - perfluoro O-ring (Dupont/GT...)

FFKM ( Perfluoroether rubber ) is the preferred material for semiconductor sealing. It is made by copolymerizing specific monomers and has excellent properties such as high temperature resistance, chemical corrosion resistance, and oil resistance. It is widely used in many fields such as aerospace and aviation, and has decades of application experience in the semiconductor industry. It is the rubber material with the best tolerance and provides a reliable sealing solution for the special environment of semiconductor manufacturing.

However, the current FFKM market is facing a severe shortage. The global total demand is approximately 200 tons, while the actual output is only between 150 and 180 tons, and the supply shortage has led to continuously high raw material prices. Moreover, due to restrictions imposed by PFAS regulations, many foreign companies' production is limited. For example, 3M will exit the field in 2025, and many Solvay and Daikin factories in Europe, North America, and Japan often face fines or production suspensions due to environmental issues. This has greatly challenged the supply stability of FFKM, casting a shadow over the global semiconductor industry supply chain. However, it is precisely against this backdrop that the independent breakthroughs of domestic enterprises are particularly crucial and urgent.

The general operating temperature is 260-290℃, and it can be used intermittently at high temperatures of 316℃. Perfluoroether rubber also has plasma resistance. It has the characteristics of high cleanliness and low outgassing in a plasma environment and can withstand plasma bombardment for a long time.

(Note: A indicates less than 10% swelling (including no swelling), and the medium has little effect on the rubber performance; B indicates a volume swelling rate of 10-20%, and the material's performance is affected to a certain extent, but it is basically usable, although the product life may be shortened; C indicates that the material has poor tolerance to the medium and needs to be analyzed based on the actual situation to determine whether it can be used; D indicates that the material cannot be used in this medium environment.)

          In a plasma environment, it exhibits high cleanliness and low outgassing characteristics, can withstand plasma bombardment for a long time, meets the semiconductor industry's requirements for high purity and low impurities, and avoids the impact of material outgassing on the semiconductor manufacturing process and product quality.

Relevant Manufacturers:

Dongbang Chemical, Suzhou Fuxin...

       DuPont (Kalrez) in the United States has the largest global market share, accounting for approximately 40%-50% of the perfluoro seal market. The Kalrez series is known for its high temperature resistance (long-term operating temperature up to 327℃) and low outgassing, and is widely used in key sealing applications of semiconductor equipment.

       Together, DuPont and GT (Chemraz) in the United States account for 60%-70% of the global market share. The Chemraz series is specifically designed for semiconductor equipment and has outstanding resistance to plasma corrosion.
 

As the most expensive type of fluororubber, FFKM (perfluoroether rubber) is significantly affected by the complexity of raw material processes and the international supply chain. The following is the current market situation:

HALOPOLYMER, Russia: The Elaftor series FFKM raw rubber (models 1000, 1000P) from Russia, represented by Daohong Group, is priced at approximately 13,000-15,000 yuan/kg and is mainly used in high-end applications such as semiconductor seals.

Solvay: Tecnoflon PFR series FFKM raw materials (such as PFR 1075O, 95HT) are priced at approximately 13.7 yuan/g (i.e., 13,700 yuan/kg), meeting the standards of international high-end demand.

DuPont: Kalrez series products are sold in finished form, and raw materials are not sold externally. The estimated raw rubber cost exceeds 30,000 yuan/kg.

Daohong Group: The FFKM raw rubber produced by its subsidiary, Sichuan Hongxin Fluoroether Technology Co., Ltd., is priced lower than imported products, at approximately 12,000-20,000 yuan/kg, and is mainly used in the semiconductor, petrochemical, military, and aerospace industries.

Fujian Yonghong: Possesses the R&D capabilities for all types of FFKM raw rubber, with prices slightly lower than international brands, but has not yet achieved large-scale production.

FFKM is synthesized by copolymerizing monomers such as tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether. Only a few companies worldwide have mastered the core technology. International manufacturers (such as DuPont and Solvay) control raw rubber materials, and domestic companies need to import raw rubber from Russia or Japan for processing.

Domestic companies are making breakthroughs through both imported raw rubber processing and independent research and development, but high-end FFKM (such as semiconductor grade) still relies on imports, and the domestic production rate is less than 15%.

The national "14th Five-Year Plan" promotes the independent and controllable development of semiconductor materials and accelerates the application of domestic FFKM in etching equipment, vacuum chambers, and other scenarios.