Freon

Freon is very important in society today. However, it is not actually a chemical. “Freon” is actually a trade name that describes an entire class of chemicals used in refrigeration. It is a trademark of E.I. DuPont and is actually known as a chlorofluorocarbon. The parent hydrocarbons are methane, CHP, ethane, CMHR, and sometimes bromine atoms. The methane based Freons are designated by DuPont with numbers below 100; those based on ethane are numbered between 100 …

…and should be upgraded to Freon’s substitutes, which do not deplete the ozone layer. Many new appliances and automobiles already use non-Freon refrigerants, but many more must replace the old Freon-based ones. With the help of scientists and the federal government, Freon is being banned and the ozone layer is not depleting as much. In conclusion, Freon, once used in many household appliances, is being replaced by non-CFC substitutes, which protects the ozone layer.