1-Chloro-1,1-difluoroethane


1-Chloro-1,1-difluoroethane is a hydrochlorofluorocarbon with the chemical formula CH3CClF2. It is primarily used as a
refrigerant.
For the most part, concentrations of HCFCs in the atmosphere match the emission rates that are reported by industries. The exception to this is HCFC-142b which has a higher concentration than the emission rates suggest it should. The Montreal Protocol calls for an end to the production of chlorofluorocarbons and hydrochlorofluorocarbons to mitigate the destruction of the stratospheric ozone layer.

Uses

HCFC-142b is used as a blowing agent for foam plastics production, as a refrigerant, and as feedstock to make polyvinylidene fluoride. It was mainly used to replace the CFCs that had been initially banned by the Montreal Protocol, but now HCFCs are also banned due to their ozone-depletion ability. The EPA states that CFCs and HCFCs can now only be used in processes that result in the transformation or destruction of the HCFCs, such as using HCFC-142b as feedstock to make PVDF. They can also be used in equipment that was manufactured before January 1, 2010. The point of these new regulations is to phase-out HCFCs in much the same way that CFCs were phased out. Its production in non article 5 countries like the United States was banned on January 1, 2020 under the Montreal Protocol.

Production history

According to the Alternative Fluorocarbons Environmental Acceptability Study, in 2006 global production of HCFC-142b was 33,779 metric tons and an increase in production from 2006 to 2007 of 34%.