{
  "id": 5425644,
  "title": "'Power of disorder' tames CF₄, a semiconductor greenhouse gas that can persist for 50,000 years",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/03/power-of-disorder-tames-cf4-a-semiconductor-greenhouse-gas-that-can",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-09-03T20:30:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Phys.org",
    "slug": "phys-org",
    "url": "https://phys.org/news/2026-09-power-disorder-cf-semiconductor-greenhouse.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Semiconductor manufacturing employs tetrafluoromethane (CF₄), a greenhouse gas with over 6,000 times the warming potential of carbon dioxide. KAIST researchers led by Professor Minkee Choi have developed a high-efficiency catalyst using the \"power of disorder\" to remove CF₄ while extending catalyst lifetime. By mixing aluminum, zinc, gallium, nickel, and cobalt atoms into an aluminate crystal, they created an entropy-stabilized structure resistant to phase changes and degradation. This new catalyst (ESA) outperformed conventional alumina catalysts by 2.3 times in decomposing CF₄ and maintained 92% conversion after 150 hours at 800°C, compared to 48% for the conventional catalyst. The ESA also functions as an oxygen refill system, continuously replenishing oxygen from steam as it decomposes CF�4. This research provides the first experimental confirmation of a CF₄ decomposition process and introduces a new catalyst design strategy applicable to various semiconductor process gases.",
  "summary": "Among the gases used in semiconductor manufacturing, tetrafluoromethane (CF₄) is a greenhouse gas more than 6,000 times as potent as carbon dioxide.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}