Specialty polymers are crucial for the semiconductor sector, fulfilling demands in advanced processes and packaging, and sustainable development. Syensqo, a global specialty polymers and chemicals giant company from Belgium, continues to innovate with new products and materials for high-tech sectors, including Taiwan's semiconductor industry. By understanding the stringent application requirements in extreme environments, especially the challenges that semiconductor processes often face, such as high temperatures, chemical corrosion, tension, and rough surfaces, Syensqo also considers the material's own characteristics, such as lightweight, inertness, ease of storage and transportation, as well as multiple chemical material properties such as design flexibility and biocompatibility. At Semicon Taiwan 2025, Syensqo made its debut on the Taiwan semiconductor stage.
New Tecnoflon FFKM NFS product set a new benchmark for environmentally friendly materials
Among the products showcased at this year's booth, Syensqo's newly-launched Tecnoflon FFKM NFS series is a standout product. This new high-performance perfluoroelastomers utilize the company's proprietary Non-Fluorosurfactant (NFS) technology, is key to meeting the industry's strong demand for phasing out fluorinated surfactants in the PFAS family.
Syensqo has successfully launched the market's first commercially available perfluoroelastomer products - Tecnoflon FFKM NFS, that does not use surfactants. Andrew Lau, Senior Executive Vice President of Electronics & Industrial at Syensqo's Specialty Polymers Global Business Unit, stated that this industry-first FFKM NFS product line fully demonstrates Syensqo's commitment to the global semiconductor industry and has provided significant incentive for semiconductor customers.
The launch of Tecnoflon FFKM NFS materials will meet the industry's demand for specialized O-ring materials for hermetically sealed vacuum chambers used in semiconductor front-end of line fabrication (FEOL) processes, such as dry and wet etching, cleaning, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), and lithography, as a seal required for vacuum processes.
This new product demonstrates superior performance, sustainability, and supply chain stability compared to traditional FFKM materials, strongly showcasing the strength of Tecnoflon FFKM NFS in development. The product is currently undergoing intensive customer validation, representing a significant step forward in meeting the semiconductor industry's pursuit of more environmentally friendly materials.
Expertise in developing specialty polymer materials satisfies even the most stringent performance criteria for advanced manufacturing processes
Syensqo's booth at Semicon Taiwan 2025 also featured an array of materials that are frequently employed in the semiconductor factory infrastructure in the Taiwan market, such as sealing and ultra-pure water piping solutions for fabs, exhaust duct coatings and materials for injection molding.
An additional highlight of Syensqo's Semicon booth was the extensive portfolio including KetaSpire PEEK, Torlon PAI, Halar ECTFE, and Solef PVDF for wafer handling injection molding components.
Furthermore, Syensqo's showcased its well-known Fomblin PFPE utilized as lubricants for vacuum pumps, and Galden PFPE facilitating effective heat transfer in chillers, which are crucial for maintaining accurate temperature regulation in wafer fabrication processes. These products are extensively utilized in chiller systems to ensure stable temperatures, and their substantial demand greatly enhances Syensqo's revenues.
Galden PFPE paves way for future immersion cooling solutions in AI data centers
The aquarium exhibit at Syensqo's booth during Semicon Taiwan 2025 was a noteworthy feature. It contained an AI accelerator card to illustrate the company's commitment to the most recent advancements in cooling technologies for AI servers.
Conventional air and liquid cooling solutions are inadequate due to the substantial thermal requirements of AI processors, which are crucial for the efficient functioning of data centers. The design phase of next-generation immersion cooling systems is now under progress, incorporating Syensqo's Galden PFPE, a transparent and highly insulating liquid with outstanding heat transfer characteristics, as a crucial component.
Furthermore, in addition to innovative materials technologies in its products, Andrew Lau also shared an important organizational development: Syensqo has established its Asian regional headquarters in Shanghai. This follows the establishment of a materials application R&D center in Shanghai, marking another significant organizational update and demonstrating the company's strong ambition in the Asian market. The Taiwanese market will also benefit from this investment.
Andrew Lau reiterated, "The Taiwan semiconductor industry has always been an important part of Syensqo, and we will continue to support the needs of our customers in Taiwan. Regarding the overseas expansion and development of Taiwan semiconductor fabs, Syensqo will continue to fully support the success and long-term growth of our customers."
Article edited by Staff reporter
