Air Liquide Breaks Ground on Krypton and Xenon Refining Plant in Cheonan, Chungnam

Strengthening the Supply Chain of Rare Gases in the Semiconductor and Space Sectors

Air Liquide announced on the 15th that it has begun construction of a new state-of-the-art high-purity krypton and xenon refining plant in South Korea.

The new plant, which broke ground in March in Cheonan-si, Chungnam Province, is planned to start full-scale mass production from 2025. Through this new facility, Air Liquide will be able to produce high-purity krypton and xenon domestically.

Krypton and xenon are rare gases mainly used in advanced technologies such as the semiconductor and aerospace industries. In the semiconductor industry, they are key materials for memory chip production and are primarily used in the etching process of vertical holes, a critical step in increasing the number of layers in 3D NAND.

In the aerospace industry, krypton and xenon are used in electric propulsion systems for satellites, which is a technology that reduces weight and improves efficiency compared to other technologies.

An Air Liquide representative stated, "The stable supply of rare gases for customers will be promoted, further strengthening the rare gas supply chain in Korea and Asia. We will enhance the reliability of supply for high value-added materials in the semiconductor and aerospace sectors, equipping us with the capability to respond to the growing demand for high-purity rare gases."

Meanwhile, Air Liquide, which entered Korea in 1996, has been providing industrial gases and related services in fields such as petrochemicals, steel, semiconductors, and automobile manufacturing.