First Development of 'Electron Beam Graft Adsorbent'... Semiconductor Hydrofluoric Acid Recycling

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Junho] Domestic researchers have developed a technology to manufacture underwater metal salt adsorbents using electron beam grafting technology. This technology, previously possessed only by some advanced countries such as Japan and the United States, has now been successfully localized. It is expected to be used as an adsorbent to remove metal salts in chemical plants, semiconductor factories, nuclear facilities, and more in the future.

The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute announced on the 8th that it has signed a technology transfer contract to transfer the 'electron beam grafting technology-based metal salt adsorbent manufacturing technology' to Appsfeel Co., Ltd., a water treatment specialist company.

The technology being transferred this time is an adsorbent manufacturing technology that removes metal salts in water using electron beam grafting technology. Grafting refers to the process of attaching other polymer compounds to a polymer compound that has no function to impart various new functions. Among these, electron beam grafting is a technology that uses electron beams with high energy density to efficiently adjust chemical bonds.

By utilizing the electron beam grafting technology developed by the research team, metal salts in water can be effectively removed. It can recycle hydrofluoric acid by removing anions and other metal salt impurities used in semiconductor processes, and it can also remove radioactive metal salts such as cesium in nuclear facilities.

This is also the first commercialized technology in Korea. Previously, only some advanced countries such as Japan and the United States possessed this technology. Domestically, ion exchange resins, a type of synthetic resin, were used to remove metal salts. However, the adsorption speed was slow and the adsorption capacity was small.

The research team stated, "The adsorbent manufactured by applying electron beam grafting technology is more efficient with both faster adsorption speed and greater adsorption capacity compared to existing adsorbents."

Appsfeel, which received this technology transfer, is a company that produces liquid filtration filter assemblies and liquid filtration devices. Through this technology transfer, it has become the first domestic company to manufacture metal salt adsorbents using electron beam grafting technology.

Park Wonseok, director of the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, said, "The metal salt adsorbent developed through the institute's technology is expected to be widely used in the semiconductor, display, and chemical plant industries," adding, "By successfully localizing adsorption filters, it is expected to significantly replace the volume previously dependent on imports."