Umicore opens production plant for trimethylgallium

"After intensive research and preparation, we are very pleased to be able to put the production plant into operation and to manufacture on an industrial scale, which also brings environmental and customer benefits as well as underscores Umicores' position as a pioneer of sustainable technologies”, explained Dr. Lothar Mussmann, head of Umicore's Precious Metals Chemistry division. Trimethylgallium (TMG) is a colourless liquid with very high vapour pressure, which boils at low temperatures. With the new production process, which was initially tested on a small scale over a longer period of time, the yield of TMG can be increased in comparison to current production methods and dispenses with organic solvents. TMG is produced by a chemical reaction of gallium trichloride with a more efficient methylation agent in a salt melt. This reduces the amount of waste per kilogram of trimethylgallium by more than 50 percent; resulting intermediates are recycled back into the process.