Syensqo has unveiled what it claims is the first certified circular content portfolio of high-performance elastomers and lubricant fluids, produced at its Spinetta Marengo facility in Piedmont, Italy.
The new products incorporate up to 29% post-industrial recycled hydrofluoric acid (HF) via a mass balance certification system, maintaining the performance standards required in semiconductor manufacturing, automotive systems, and industrial sealing applications.
Achieving this level of recycled HF content required overcoming technical and logistical challenges, particularly ensuring a steady supply of waste HF and maintaining reliable production.
The Spinetta Marengo facility employs a single-step fluorine recovery process that directly addresses critical mineral supply challenges. Fluorspar, used to produce HF, is designated as a critical mineral under both the U.S. Energy Act and the EU Critical Raw Materials Act. The EU targets 25% of annual fluorspar consumption to come from domestic recycling by 2030. More than a quarter of the fluorine in Syensqo’s new certified grades is sourced from recycled material, reducing dependence on imported HF and the environmental and ESG risks associated with traditional mining and refining.
The certified portfolio includes Tecnoflon FKM and FFKM elastomers and Fomblin M lubricant fluids, widely used in semiconductor O-rings and seals for dry etch and deposition processes, as well as in automotive engine components, battery systems, transmission seals, gaskets, and specialized lubricants. These materials retain the high heat and chemical resistance, along with long-lasting lubrication properties, expected from conventional virgin-material products.
Syensqo is also advancing peroxide-curable FFKM polymers manufactured without PFAS-based fluorosurfactants, reflecting growing regulatory and environmental pressures. These materials, part of the company’s Non-Fluorosurfactant (NFS) portfolio, address the stringent requirements of advanced semiconductor manufacturing while supporting sustainability objectives.
By integrating circular content into high-performance specialty polymers, Syensqo positions itself at the forefront of sustainable materials in regulated and high-tech industries, while consolidating a historically complex supply chain into a streamlined, domestic recycling process. The initiative demonstrates how industrial-scale circularity can support both regulatory compliance and customer sustainability goals, providing a model for the broader specialty materials sector.
