Freon

Freon is DuPont's trade name for its chlorofluorocarbon and hydrochlorofluorocarbon refrigerants, used in air conditioning and refrigeration systems. Each Freon is designated by a number; for instance, Freon-11 is trichlorofluoromethane, while Freon-12 is dichlorodifluoromethane. Freons are odorless, colorless, nonflammable, and noncorrosive. They were 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. Today, most uses of Freon have been 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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