Abstract: A cleaning agent and a cleaning process for efficiently removing noxious halogen-based gases such as fluorine, chlorine, boron trifluoride, boron trichloride and tungsten hexafluoride from exhaust gases from semiconductor fabrication processes. The cleaning agent is produced by adherently adding alkali metal formate and/or alkaline earth metal formate to activated carbon, or adherently adding alkali metal hydroxide and/or alkaline earth metal hydroxide together with alkali metal formate and/or alkaline earth metal formate to activated carbon. By exposing exhaust gases to the cleaning agent, noxious halogen-based gases in the exhaust gases are efficiently removed with little desorption of halogen-based gases adsorbed on the cleaning agent. Also, the cleaning treatment is further improved in safety and efficiency by a pre-treatment cleaning agent comprising a metal oxide or a metal hydroxide and a post-treatment cleaning agent prepared by adherently adding sodium formate to a metal oxide.

Abstract: A method for cleaning an exhaust gas comprising a base gas and at least one toxic component selected from the group consisting of arsine, phosphine, diborane and hydrogen selenide is disclosed. The method comprises contacting the exhaust gas with a molded cleaning agent having a composition consisting essentially of (1) cupric oxide, (2) manganese dioxide, and (3) at least one metal oxide selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide, aluminum oxide and zinc oxide and having a density of from 0.6 to 1.5 g/ml, said composition having a metal atomic ratio M/(M+Cu+Mn) in the range of from 0.02 to 0.70 and a metal atomic ratio Cu/(Cu+Mn) in the range of from 0.1 to 0.9; wherein Cu represents a number of gram atom of copper; Mn represents a number of gram atom of manganese; and M represents a total number of gram atom of silicon, aluminum and/or zinc, to remove the toxic component from the exhaust gas. The method is effective even at low temperatures below 10.degree. C.

Abstract: A method for purifying a gaseous hydride, which comprises bringing a crude gaseous hydride into contact with at least one material from nickel arsenides, nickel phosphides, nickel silicides, nickel selenides, or nickel borides to remove oxygen contained in the crude gaseous hydride.

Abstract: A method for cleaning a gas containing at least one toxic component selected from the group consisting of arsine, phosphine, monosilane, diborane, and hydrogen selenide, which comprises contacting the gas with a cleaning agent containing a molded composition comprising (1) manganese dioxide and (2) cupric oxide, having deposited thereon (3) a silver compound, wherein the weight ratio of cupric oxide to manganese dioxide ranges from 0.2 to 1.2 and the amount of the deposited silver compound ranges from 0.01 to 10.5% by weight based on the cleaning agent. By the cleaning method, the toxic component can be removed from a gas, e.g., air, at high efficiency and at a high rate even in case of sudden leakage of the toxic component out of a bomb.

Abstract: A self-contained closed-circuit oxygen-generating breathing appratus is provided with a partition wall disposed in such a manner as to oppose at least the lower portion of the inner surface of a breathing bag. The partition wall partitions the central portion and peripheral portion of the interior of the breathing bag along the inner surface of the breathing bag, and the space or gap between the partition wall and the inner surface of the breathing bag acts as a passage for oxygen-enriched gas discharged from the outlet of a canister of an oxygen-generating agent into the interior of the breathing bag. The oxygen-enriched gas can flow through the passage while kept in good contact with the inner surface of the breathing bag, and thus can be cooled to a temperature suitable for inhalation by the user.

Abstract: A method for cleaning an exhaust gas containing at least one toxic component selected from the group consisting of arsine, phosphine, diborane and hydrogen selenide is disclosed. The method comprises contacting the toxic component with a molded cleaning agent having a composition consisting essentially of (1) cupric oxide and (2) at least one metal oxide selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide, aluminum oxide and zinc oxide and having a density of from about 1.5 to about 3.5 g/ml, said composition having a metal atomic ratio M/(M+Cu) in the range of from about 0.02 to about 0.7 wherein Cu represents a number of gram atom of copper and M represents a total number of gram atom of silicon, aluminum and/or zinc, to remove the toxic component from the exhaust gas.

Abstract: A solid detecting reagent for gaseous hydrides and a gaseous hydride detecting method are disclosed, said reagent comprising a basic copper carbonate as a color changing component and undergoing color change upon contact with at least one gaseous hydride selected from the group consisting of arsine, phosphine, diborane, hydrogen selenide, germane, monosilane, disilane and dichlorosilane. The reagent is applicable to all of these gaseous hydrides and, upon contact therewith, rapidly changes from an initial blue color to a black color, said black color standing for a long period of time.