[News] Anhydrous Hydrogen Fluoride Supply Tightens, Raising Concerns Across Semiconductor Materials Chain

As per reports from TheElec, South Korean AHF producers including Solbrain, ENF Technology, and Huseong have begun sourcing anhydrous hydrogen fluoride from China starting this month, with prices rising roughly 40% compared with the beginning of the year. After processing the material into electronic-grade hydrogen fluoride (EG-HF), these suppliers primarily serve domestic semiconductor giants such as Samsung Electronics.

Electronic-grade hydrogen fluoride is a critical wet chemical used in semiconductor manufacturing, particularly in wafer etching and cleaning processes. It removes surface oxide layers and metallic contaminants, while its purity level plays a direct role in determining chip yield rates. South Korea has limited domestic AHF production capacity and remains heavily dependent on Chinese supply for the raw material required by its semiconductor industry. As a result, the latest price increases are expected to place direct pressure on the country’s semiconductor materials supply chain.

The current spike in hydrogen fluoride prices is largely attributed to disruptions in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. AHF is produced through a reaction between fluorspar and sulfuric acid, while sulfur — a key feedstock for sulfuric acid — is a byproduct of crude oil and natural gas refining. Shipping bottlenecks in the Strait are estimated to have disrupted more than 30% of global sulfur supply, driving sulfuric acid prices sharply higher. Industry data suggest sulfuric acid historically accounted for roughly 30% of AHF production costs, but that figure may now exceed 50%, significantly increasing overall manufacturing expenses and pushing AHF prices higher.

Following procurement from China, South Korean suppliers blend AHF with ultrapure water (deionized water) and subject it to multiple purification steps to produce semiconductor-grade electronic hydrogen fluoride. Industry sources noted that with raw material costs rising structurally, Korean chipmakers including Samsung Electronics have little room to avoid downstream price increases. Material suppliers in South Korea are currently negotiating revised pricing frameworks with semiconductor manufacturers for June and July deliveries.

Volatility across the global semiconductor materials supply chain has intensified in recent months, with helium and specialty gases already experiencing supply shortages and price hikes. Analysts believe the latest disruptions in the hydrogen fluoride value chain — combined with China’s dominant position in the global AHF market — could further reshape the global wet electronic chemicals landscape while deepening South Korea’s dependence on Chinese upstream materials suppliers.

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