Hydrogen Chloride (HCl) — High-Purity Electronic Grade Market Grows at 39.2% CAGR as Korea's Cl₂ Capacity Expansion Fuels Chlorine-to-HCl Demand for NAND and Logic Fabs

THe high-purity hydrogen chloride market has experienced explosive growth over the past five years, driven by the rapid expansion of China's semiconductor fabrication base and increasing demand for advanced etch and cleaning gases. According to Huaon Industrial Research, the domestic high-purity HCl market grew from approximately 168 million RMB in 2020 to 877 million RMB in 2025, representing a staggering CAGR of 39.2 percent over the five-year period. The average market price in 2025 was approximately 124,000 RMB per ton.

High-purity hydrogen chloride gas refers to HCl with purity of 99.999 percent (5N grade) or higher, with key impurities (including moisture, oxygen, and metal ions) controlled below 1 ppm. It is primarily used in microelectronics for vapor-phase polishing, epitaxial deposition, and etching processes, as well as for cemented carbide manufacturing, glass surface treatment, pharmaceutical intermediates, and fine chemical synthesis.

The high-purity HCl supply chain is intertwined with chlorine production. In late May 2026, Korean supplier PKC announced a 50 percent expansion of its semiconductor-grade high-purity chlorine capacity, increasing annual output from approximately 1,400–1,500 tons to 2,100–2,200 tons. This expansion is directly tied to Samsung Electronics' accelerating demand for both chlorine and hydrogen chloride. Industry sources indicate that Samsung has recently requested PKC to increase hydrogen chloride supply and expand its application scope from DRAM only to all NAND and foundry processes. Expanding hydrogen chloride production first requires boosting chlorine capacity, as HCl is synthesized from chlorine and hydrogen.

The demand surge for hydrogen chloride is driven by NAND flash memory manufacturers targeting 200-layer and above structures – NAND channel hole etching consumes far more hydrogen chloride per wafer than DRAM. Additionally, for silicon epitaxy, hydrogen chloride is used as a gas-phase etchant to prevent unwanted deposition and in advanced logic processes such as GAA and FinFET where high-purity HCl is critical for cleaning wafers and removing residual metal ions and oxides.

For procurement professionals searching for "high-purity hydrogen chloride price per ton," "electronic grade HCl for semiconductor etching," or "anhydrous hydrogen chloride supplier for NAND fabs," the supply environment signals further growth.

Sources: Huaon Industrial Research, 2026; Securities Times, May 29, 2026; 360kuai.com, April 2026