SK Enmove partners with Chilean chemical giant to supply iodine - Korean News

SK Enmove, a lubricant manufacturer, has signed an iodine supply agreement with Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile (SQM), the world's top iodine producer.
The company aims to develop a next-generation automotive refrigerant that utilizes iodine to improve heating and cooling performance compared to conventional refrigerants, and to expand the market.
SQM expects to sell 14,000 tons of iodine per year in 2024, equivalent to 35% of the world's supply.
Through this contract with QM, the company has strengthened its global supply chain for refrigerants. Until now, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), a type of fluorocarbon, have been used as the main raw material for refrigerants.
However, their use has been banned since 2010 due to their adverse effects on the ozone layer.
Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and other gasoline-containing compounds have a high global warming potential, and their use is expected to be completely banned in order to protect the ozone layer.
SK Enmove President Kim Won-ki said, "Through this contract with SQM, we will develop refrigerants for next-generation automobiles.
"We have established a foundation for stable production and supply."