Qnity's Award-Winning Material Tackles 'Forever Chemicals' in Chips

WILMINGTON, Del. – November 24, 2025 – In the hyper-competitive world of semiconductor manufacturing, innovation is often measured in nanometers and processing speeds. However, a recent breakthrough by Qnity Electronics, Inc. is being measured by what it removes. The company has secured a prestigious 2025 R&D 100 Award for its UV™ 26GNF photoresist, a critical material used in chip fabrication that, for the first time, eliminates the use of controversial per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) without sacrificing performance.

This award, widely considered the “Oscars of Innovation,” signals more than just a technical achievement. It represents a significant strategic maneuver in an industry facing a rising tide of environmental regulation. By successfully commercializing a high-performance, PFAS-free alternative, Qnity is not just cleaning up a key manufacturing process; it is positioning itself and its customers to get ahead of a global regulatory crackdown that could otherwise disrupt the entire electronics supply chain.

“At the heart of our innovation is the idea that technology can and should serve both progress and sustainability, and UV™ 26GNF resist is a flagship example of this approach,” said Randal King, Chief Technology and Sustainability Officer at Qnity, in a statement celebrating the win.

Navigating the Regulatory Storm

The semiconductor industry has long relied on PFAS, often called “forever chemicals” for their extreme persistence in the environment. Their unique properties—thermal stability and chemical resistance—make them exceptionally effective in the harsh, precise world of photolithography, the process of etching complex circuit patterns onto silicon wafers. However, this utility comes at a cost, as regulators worldwide are now moving decisively to restrict their use due to mounting health and environmental concerns.

In the European Union, a sweeping restriction proposal under the REACH regulation is advancing, threatening to ban roughly 10,000 PFAS substances. While the latest drafts from August 2025 include potential time-limited exemptions for the semiconductor industry, acknowledging its “essential use,” the direction of travel is clear: the era of unrestricted PFAS use is ending. Companies that fail to find alternatives face significant operational and compliance risks.

Similarly, in the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is tightening its grip. Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), manufacturers are now subject to comprehensive reporting requirements for PFAS use dating back over a decade. While the EPA has controversially fast-tracked some new PFAS for chipmaking, citing its critical role, the broader regulatory pressure continues to build. For industrial leaders, the writing is on the wall. Proactive innovation is no longer a choice, but a strategic necessity for ensuring business continuity.

Performance Without Compromise

Qnity’s achievement with UV™ 26GNF lies in solving a formidable materials science challenge: creating a non-fluorine photoresist that can withstand the rigors of modern fabrication. Photoresists act as a temporary stencil, and any degradation or imprecision in this material leads directly to defective chips, costing manufacturers millions. The industry’s reliance on PFAS-based compounds was not arbitrary; it was based on their unmatched ability to deliver the required performance.

By substituting the industry-standard PFAS-containing photoacid generators with a novel non-fluorine alternative, Qnity claims to have maintained, and in some cases improved upon, critical performance metrics. The company highlights the material’s wide process window, excellent profile control on various substrates, and improved etch resistance—all essential attributes for high-yield manufacturing. This proves that sustainability does not have to come at the expense of quality, a crucial point for an industry defined by relentless performance demands.

This innovation places Qnity in a strong competitive position. While major rivals like Tokyo Ohka Kogyo (TOK), JSR Corporation, and Merck KGaA are actively developing their own PFAS-free solutions, Qnity has a commercially available product for KrF lithography that is already gaining traction. This first-mover advantage is significant in a market where qualifying new materials is a lengthy and expensive process for chipmakers. As Sang Ho Kang, President of Semiconductor Technologies at Qnity, stated, “With the commercial success of UV™ 26GNF photoresist, we’re proud to be on the leading edge of this movement, which has the potential to catalyze an industry-wide shift.”

The Digital Edge in Material Science

Bringing such a complex material to market ahead of competitors was not a matter of luck. Qnity’s success was significantly accelerated by a modern R&D approach. The company leveraged advanced computational modeling and digital tools to simulate and predict the properties of new chemical compositions, drastically reducing the time and cost associated with traditional trial-and-error laboratory work. This digital-first strategy allowed researchers to rapidly iterate through potential non-fluorine candidates, identify the most promising formulations, and get the product into customer hands for testing far more quickly.

This method is emblematic of a broader transformation in deep-tech industries, where AI and simulation are becoming indispensable tools for innovation. By creating a 'digital twin' of the material and its performance characteristics, Qnity could de-risk the development process and focus resources on the most viable path to commercialization. The effectiveness of this approach was also validated academically, with the research team earning the prestigious SPIE Jeffrey Byers Best Poster Award for their work, underscoring the scientific rigor behind the commercial product.

As Qnity expands its non-fluorine materials family to other lithography wavelengths and more advanced nodes, this digital R&D engine will be a critical asset. It provides the company with a scalable platform for innovation, enabling it to respond quickly to new customer requirements and emerging regulatory challenges. By proving that performance and sustainability can coexist in one of the world's most demanding industries, Qnity is not just selling a new product; it is charting a new course for the future of semiconductor manufacturing.