Freon

Freon is DuPont's trade name for its odorless, colorless, nonflammable, and noncorrosive chlorofluorocarbon and hydrochlorofluorocarbon refrigerants, which are used in air conditioning and refrigeration systems. Freon is also used as an inhalant as it displaces oxygen when breathed in causing hypoxia, or dizziness simulating an intoxicating effect.

History

Freon was initially developed in the early 20th century as an alternative to the toxic gases that were previously used as refrigerants, such as ammonia, chloromethane, and sulfur dioxide. Freon, in this case dichlorodifluoromethane, was invented by Thomas Midgley, Jr. with co-inventor Charles Kettering. Each Freon product is designated by a number; for instance, Freon-11 is trichlorofluoromethane, while Freon-12 is dichlorodifluoromethane. In the 1990s, most uses of Freon were phased out due to the negative effects that chlorofluorocarbons and hydrochlorofluorocarbons have on the Earth's ozone layer.

See also

• Haloalkane, a group of chemical compounds
• List of refrigerants

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