1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane

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1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane
Identifiers
CAS number 811-97-2 YesY
ChemSpider 12577 YesY
UNII DH9E53K1Y8 YesY
EC number 212-377-0
KEGG D05208 YesY
RTECS number KI8842500
Jmol-3D images Image 1
Properties
Molecular formula CH2FCF3 [1]
Molar mass 102.03 g/mol
Appearance Colorless gas
Density 0.00425 g/cm³, gas
Melting point

-103.3°C (169.85 K)

Boiling point

-26.3°C (246.85 K)

Solubility in water 0.15 wt%
Hazards
MSDS External MSDS
S-phrases (S2), S23, S24/25, S51
Main hazards Asphyxiant
NFPA 704
NFPA 704.svg
0
1
1
Flash point 250 °C (482 °F)
Related compounds
Related refrigerants Difluoromethane
Pentafluoroethane
Related compounds 1,1,2,2,2-pentafluoroethane
2-Chloro-
1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane

1,1,1-Trichloroethane
Supplementary data page
Structure and
properties
n, εr, etc.
Thermodynamic
data
Phase behaviour
Solid, liquid, gas
Spectral data UV, IR, NMR, MS
 YesY (verify) (what is: YesY/N?)
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa)
Infobox references

1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane, R-134a, Genetron 134a, Suva 134a or HFC-134a, is a haloalkane refrigerant with thermodynamic properties similar to R-12 (dichlorodifluoromethane), but with less ozone depletion potential. It has the formula CH2FCF3, and a boiling point of −26.3 °C (−15.34 °F) at atmospheric pressure.

Contents

[edit] Uses

1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane is an inert gas used primarily as a “high-temperature” refrigerant for domestic refrigeration and automobile air conditioners. These devices began using 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane in the early 1990s as a replacement for the more environmentally harmful R-12, and retrofit kits are available to convert units that were originally R-12-equipped. Other uses include plastic foam blowing, as a cleaning solvent, a propellant for the delivery of pharmaceuticals (e.g. bronchodilators), wine cork removers, gas dusters, and in air driers for removing the moisture from compressed air. 1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane has also been used to cool computers in some overclocking attempts. It is also commonly used as a propellant for airsoft airguns.

Tetrafluoroethane, when compressed as inside gas duster cans, is a clear liquid which boils when exposed to room temperature (as seen here) and can be extracted from common canned air canisters by simply inverting them during use.

Recently, 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane has been subject to use restrictions due to its contribution to climate change. In the EU, it will be banned as of 2011 in all new cars.[2] The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) has proposed 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (HFC-134a) to be best replaced by a new fluorochemical refrigerant HFO-1234yf (CF3CF=CH2) in automobile air-conditioning systems.[3] California may also prohibit the sale of canned 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane to individuals to avoid non-professional recharge of air conditioners.[4] A ban has been in place in Wisconsin since October 1994 under ATCP 136 prohibiting sales of container sizes holding less than 15 lbs of 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane, but this restriction applies only when the chemical is intended to be a refrigerant.[5] It appears, for example, that it is legal for a person to purchase gas duster containers with any amount of the chemical because in that instance the chemical is neither intended to be a refrigerant [5] nor is HFC-134a included in the § 7671a listing of class I and class II substances.[6]

1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane is also being considered as an organic solvent suitable for extraction of flavor and fragrance compounds, as a possible alternative to other organic solvents and supercritical carbon dioxide.[7][8] It can also be used as a solvent in organic chemistry, both in liquid and supercritical fluid.[9] It is used in the resistive plate chamber particle detectors in the Large Hadron Collider.[10][11] It is also used for other types of particle detectors, e.g. some cryogenic particle detectors.[12] It can be used as an alternative to sulfur hexafluoride in magnesium smelting as a shielding gas.[13]

1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane is also being considered as an alternative to sulfur hexafluoride as a dielectric gas.[14] Its arc-quenching properties are poor, but its dielectric properties are fairly good.

[edit] History

1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane first appeared in the early 1990s as a replacement for dichlorodifluoromethane (R-12), which has ozone depleting properties.[15] 1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane has been atmospherically modeled for its impact on depleting ozone and as a contributor to global warming. Research suggests that over the past 10 years the concentration of 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane has increased significantly in the Earth's atmosphere, with a recent study revealing a doubling in atmospheric concentration between 2001 and 2004.[16] It has insignificant ozone depletion potential (ozone layer), significant global warming potential (100-yr GWP = 1430)[17] and negligible acidification potential (acid rain).

[edit] Safety

Contact of 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane with flames or hot surfaces in excess of 250 °C (482 °F) may cause vapor decomposition and the emission of toxic gases including hydrogen fluoride and carbonyl halides.[18] 1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane itself has an LD50 (lethal concentration for 50% of subjects) in rats of 1,500 g/m³, making it relatively non-toxic, apart from the dangers inherent to inhalant abuse.

Aerosol cans containing 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane, when inverted, become effective freeze sprays. Under pressure, 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane is compressed into a liquid, which upon vaporization absorbs a significant amount of thermal energy. As a result, it will greatly lower the temperature of any object it contacts as it evaporates. This can result in frostbite when it contacts skin, as well as blindness upon eye contact.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Global Warming Potentials of ODS Substitutes | Ozone Layer Protection | US EPA. Epa.gov (2006-06-28). Retrieved on 2011-08-21.
  2. ^ European Directive 2006/40/EC relating to emissions from air-conditioning systems in motor vehicles. (PDF) . Retrieved on 2011-08-21.
  3. ^ HFO-1234yf A Low GWP Refrigerant For MAC. Refrigerants.dupont.com (2011-08-17). Retrieved on 2011-08-21.
  4. ^ California restricts use of HFC-134a in cars. 27 June 2007. R744.com. Retrieved on 2011-08-21.
  5. ^ a b Chapter ATCP 136. MOBILE AIR CONDITIONERS; RECLAIMING OR RECYCLING REFRIGERANT. State.wi.us. (PDF) . Retrieved on 2011-08-21.
  6. ^ Class I Ozone-depleting Substances. EPA.gov. Retrieved on 2011-08-21.
  7. ^ Corr, Stuart (2005). "1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane (R-134a): A Selective Solvent for the Generation of Flavor and Fragrance Ingredients". Natural Flavors and Fragrances. ACS Symposium Series. 908. pp. 41. doi:10.1021/bk-2005-0908.ch003. ISBN 0-8412-3904-5. 
  8. ^ Abbott, Andrew P.; Eltringham, Wayne; Hope, Eric G.; Nicola, Mazin (2005). "Solubility of unsaturated carboxylic acids in supercritical 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (HFC 134a) and a methodology for the separation of ternary mixtures". Green Chemistry 7 (4): 210. doi:10.1039/B412697A. 
  9. ^ Abbott, Andrew P.; Eltringham, Wayne; Hope, Eric G.; Nicola, Mazin (2005). "Hydrogenation in supercritical 1,1,1,2 tetrafluoroethane (HFC 134a)". Green Chemistry 7 (10): 721. doi:10.1039/B507554H. 
  10. ^ Anushree Ghosh STUDY OF GLASS RESISTIVE PLATE CHAMBERS (RPC) AND CALCULATION OF EFFICIENCY. INO Graduate Training Programme DHEP, TIFR, Mumbai.
  11. ^ M. Capeans, I. Glushkov, R. Guida, F. Hahn, S. Haider (CERN, Switzerland) RPC operation at the LHC experiments in an optimized closed loop gas system. Medical Imaging Conference. 25–31 October 2009.
  12. ^ Norbeck, E.; Olson, J. E.; Moeller, A.; Onel, Y. (2006). "Rad Hard Active Media For Calorimeters". AIP Conference Proceedings. 867. pp. 84. Bibcode 2006AIPC..867...84N. doi:10.1063/1.2396941. http://highenergy.physics.uiowa.edu/HEP/Files/Talks/RadHardPaper.pdf. 
  13. ^ Magnesium recycling in the United States in 1998. (PDF) . USGS. Retrieved on 2011-08-21.
  14. ^ Gaseous dielectrics with low global warming potentials – US Patent Application 20080135817 Description. Patentstorm.us (2006-12-12). Retrieved on 2011-08-21.
  15. ^ Franklin J (1993). "The Atmospheric Degradation and Impact of 1,1,1,2-Tetrafluorethane (Hydrofluorocarbon 134a)". Chemosphere 27 (8): 1565–1601. doi:10.1016/0045-6535(93)90251-Y. 
  16. ^ "Greenhouse gas monitoring at the Zeppelin station – Annual report 2004 (TA-2110/2005)". Norwegian Institute for Air Research. http://www.r744.com/news/files/NILU-%20exec%20summary%20of%20annual%20report%202004.pdf. Retrieved 2006-01-19. 
  17. ^ Forster, P. et al. (2007). "Changes in Atmospheric Constituents and in Radiative Forcing.". Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/wg1/ar4-wg1-chapter2.pdf. 
  18. ^ Honeywell International (December 2005). MSDS # GTRN-0047 For Genetron 134aUV. 

[edit] External links

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