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Freon (/ˈfriːɒn/FREE-on) is a registeredtrademark ofthe Chemours Company and generic descriptor for a number ofhalocarbon products. They are stable, nonflammable, low toxicity[1] gases or liquids which have generally been used asrefrigerants and asaerosol propellants. They includechlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) andhydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), both of which causeozone depletion (although the latter much less so) and contribute toglobal warming. "Freon" is the brand name for the refrigerantsR-12,R-13B1,R-22,R-410A, R-502, and R-503 manufactured by the Chemours Company. They emit a strong smell similar toacetone.[2] Freon has been found to cause damage to human health when inhaled in large amounts. Studies have been conducted in the pursuit to find beneficial reuses for gases under the Freon umbrella as an alternative to disposal.
The first CFCs were synthesized byFrédéric Swarts in the 1890s. In the late 1920s, a research team was formed byCharles Franklin Kettering inGeneral Motors to find a replacement for the dangerous refrigerants then in use, such asammonia.[3] The team was headed byThomas Midgley Jr.[4] In 1928, they improved the synthesis of CFCs and demonstrated their usefulness for such a purpose and their stability and nontoxicity. Kettering patented a refrigerating apparatus to use the gas; this was issued toFrigidaire, a wholly owned subsidiary ofGeneral Motors.[5]
In 1930, General Motors andDuPont formedKinetic Chemicals to produce Freon. Their product wasdichlorodifluoromethane and is now designated "Freon-12", "R-12", or "CFC-12". The number after the R is arefrigerant class number developed by DuPont to systematically identify single halogenated hydrocarbons, as well as other refrigerants besides halocarbons.
Most uses of CFCs are now banned or severely restricted by theMontreal Protocol of August 1987, as they have been shown to be responsible forozone depletion.[6] Brands of Freon containing HFCs instead have replaced many uses, but they, too, are under strict control under theKyoto Protocol, as they are deemed "super-greenhouse effect" gases.[citation needed]
It is possible to convert Freon-11 into three-dimensionalgraphene through chemical treatment involvingmagnesium powder. Injecting CCl3F (Freon-11) into anargon-filled container and across the surface of molten magnesium powder allows the chemicals to undergo a reduction reaction that creates three-dimensional graphene. This three-dimensional graphene is highly conductive and can be used to create high-ratesupercapacitors for storage of electrical power.[7]
Freon, when used as aninhalant, has been found to have effects such aseuphoria or intoxication. This has led to some individuals using Freon recreationally in order to achieve these effects.[8] When inhaled, Freon has toxic effects that can have detrimental impacts on various systems in the body. These effects can damage the brain and the cardiovascular system, potentially causing abnormalities in heart functions as well asseizures. Freon inhalation can also cause damage to the lungs and in rare cases, respiratory failure. Injury of the lungs due to Freon inhalation is known ashydrocarbon pneumonitis.[8]
