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When TSMC, Samsung, and SK Hynix Are All Scrambling for Supplies, Electronic-Grade Hydrofluoric Acid Has Become the Irreplaceable "Chemical Key" for AI Chip Manufacturing

When TSMC, Samsung, and SK Hynix Are All Scrambling for Supplies, Electronic-Grade Hydrofluoric Acid Has Become the Irreplaceable "Chemical Key" for AI Chip Manufacturing

华尔街见闻华尔街见闻2026/06/30 01:57
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By:华尔街见闻

1. What Happened? — Electronic Grade Hydrofluoric Acid: The “Precision Chemical Tool” in Semiconductor Manufacturing

1. What is Electronic Grade Hydrofluoric Acid?

Electronic Grade Hydrofluoric Acid (EG-HF) is one of the most widely used and rigidly demanded wet electronic chemicals in integrated circuit manufacturing. It is prepared by purifying anhydrous hydrofluoric acid and dissolving it in ultra-pure water. Thanks to the unique chemical reaction that only occurs between fluoride ions and silicon dioxide (the core substrate of wafers), electronic grade hydrofluoric acid plays an irreplaceable role in chip manufacturing. It is mainly used for wafer cleaning (removing natural oxide layers and trace residual impurities) and etching (achieving precise patterning and structural shaping on wafer surfaces).

Based on purity and application scenarios, electronic grade hydrofluoric acid is classified into several grades: EL, UP, UPS, UPSS, and UPSSS (i.e., semiconductor G5 grade). Among these, UPSSS is currently the highest grade, mainly used for 12-inch wafers with 55nm and below process nodes, with significantly higher technical barriers and product pricing compared to lower-grade products. Global leaders in G5-grade hydrofluoric acid mainly include Stella Chemifa and Kanto Chemical from Japan, as well as Soulbrain and ENF Technology from South Korea.

2. Application Scenarios and Market Size:

From the perspective of end-market demand structure, semiconductor manufacturing is the largest consumer of electronic grade hydrofluoric acid. According to Binhuagroup’s H-share prospectus, citing Frost & Sullivan data, China’s overall market size for electronic grade hydrofluoric acid is estimated to be approximately 4.25 billion yuan in 2025. Among them, G5 (semiconductor grade) products in China will reach capacities, outputs, and revenues of 135,000 tons, 74,900 tons, and 658 million yuan, respectively. With the continued expansion of AI chips, memory chips, and logic chip production, this market is growing at a double-digit rate.

When TSMC, Samsung, and SK Hynix Are All Scrambling for Supplies, Electronic-Grade Hydrofluoric Acid Has Become the Irreplaceable

3. Three Key Catalysts Triggering Recent Surge in Market Attention:

Catalyst 1: Cost-driven price increases caused by upstream raw material price spikes. Since March 2026, geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East have tightened global sulfur supply, causing sulfuric acid (a key raw material for producing anhydrous hydrofluoric acid, AHF) prices to soar, directly pushing up the cost of anhydrous hydrofluoric acid. According to a UBS report (Figure 5), since 2026, the price of anhydrous hydrofluoric acid in China has shown a clear upward trend. Cost pressures are passed layer by layer along the chain “sulfur → sulfuric acid → anhydrous hydrofluoric acid → electronic grade hydrofluoric acid”, finally reflected in Duofuduo’s disclosed 20%-30% terminal price increases.

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Disclaimer: The content of this article solely reflects the author's opinion and does not represent the platform in any capacity. This article is not intended to serve as a reference for making investment decisions.

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