Chlorofluorocarbon
Description
Any of various halocarbon compounds containing carbon, hydrogen, chlorine, and fluorine. The first chlorofluorocarbon (CFC), named Freon, was developed in 1928. Since CFC's were chemically inert, non-irritating and nonflammable, they were chosen to replace (anhydrous) ammonia and dioxide sulfur dioxide as refrigerants. Other applications soon followed, such as aerosol propellants, fire extinguishers and blowing agents for foams. By the 1970s, it was determined that CFC's decompose in the stratosphere releasing atomic chlorine which reacts with ozone. This depletion of the ozone layer led to the phased prohibition of CFC's in 1979. Examples of CFC's are Freon, Halon, Frigen, Arcton, trichlorofluoromethane, and dichlorodifluoromethane.
Synonyms and Related Terms
CFC; FCC; Freon; Frigen; Halon; Arcton; trichlorofluoromethane; dichlorodifluoromethane
Hazards and Safety
Nonflammable and noncorrosive
Authority
- Richard S. Lewis, Richard S. Lewis, Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 10th ed., 1993
- Dictionary of Building Preservation, Ward Bucher, ed., John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York City, 1996
- Encyclopedia Britannica, http://www.britannica.com Comment: Chlorofluorocarbon. Encyclopdia Britannica. Retrieved July 1, 2003, from Encyclopdia Britannica Premium Service.
- Art and Architecture Thesaurus Online, http://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabulary/aat/, J. Paul Getty Trust, Los Angeles, 2000