(HFCs). These chemicals (along with perfluorocarbons) were introduced as alternatives to ozone depleting substances in serving many industrial, commercial, and personal needs. HFCs are emitted as by-products of industrial processes and are also used in manufacturing. They do not significantly deplete the stratospheric ozone layer, but they are powerful greenhouse gases with global warming potentials ranging from 140 (HFC-152a) to 12,100 (HFC-23).
Composed of hydrogen (H), carbon (C) and fluorine (F). The second generation of CFC substitutes, containing no chlorine atoms at all
Carbon-fluorine compounds that often contain other elements such as hydrogen, chlorine, or bromine. Common fluorocarbons include chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and related compounds, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and perfluorcarbons (PFCs). They have been used as refrigerants, aerosol propellants, cleaning solvents, as well as in the manufacture of plastic foam. CFCs in particular are suspected of causing ozone depletion in the stratosphere. HFCs, which were introduced as alternatives to CFCs and are emitted as by-products of industrial processes and in manufacturing, are powerful greenhouse gases. (Source: Government of Canada Climate Change Site, Glossary of Climate Change Terms)
A family of chemicals related to CFCs which contains one or more carbon atoms surrounded by fluorine and hydrogen atoms. Since no chlorine or bromine is present, HFCs do not deplete the ozone layer. HFCs are widely used as refrigerants. Examples of HFC refrigerants are HFC-134a (CF3CH2F) and HFC-152a (CHF2CH3).
A group of gases used to replace ozone-depleting gases in refrigeration. They do not deplete the ozone layer but have a high global warming potential.
A group of synthetic gases used to replace chlorofluorocarbons. They are listed as greenhouse gases in the Kyoto Protocol, and will need to be included in future inventories.
Synthetically produced compounds containing varying amounts of hydrogen, fluorine and carbon. Used as replacements for chlorofluorocarbons. They have large global warming potentials and current emissions are helping to enhance the natural greenhouse effect.
Compounds containing only hydrogen, fluorine, and carbon atoms. They were introduced as alternatives to ozone depleting substances in serving many industrial, commercial, and personal needs. HFCs are emitted as by-products of industrial processes and are also used in manufacturing. They do not deplete the stratospheric ozone layer, but they are greenhouse gases
Chemicals composed of one or two carbon atoms and varying numbers of hydrogen and fluorine atoms.
HFCs are synthetic industrial gases, primarily used in refrigeration and semi-conductor manufacturing as commercial substitutes for chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). There are no natural sources of HFCs. The atmospheric lifetime of HFCs is decades to centuries, and they have 100-year "global warming potentials" thousands of times that of CO2, depending on the gas. HFCs are among the six greenhouse gases to be curbed under the Kyoto Protocol.
used as solvents and cleaners in the semiconductor industry, among others; experts say that they possess global warming potentials that are thousands of times greater than CO2.
(Abbreviated HFCs.) A collection of partially fluorinated hydrocarbons in use or under development as replacement compounds for the chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). The lack of chlorine in these compounds eliminates their potential to destroy stratospheric ozone. Also, the presence of H atoms makes them susceptible to removal from the atmosphere via reaction with hydroxyl radicals, reducing their effectiveness as greenhouse warming gases. The most widely used of this class of compounds is HFC-134a (CF3CFH2), which is currently being used in automobile air conditioners and domestic refrigeration applications.