Products & applications of PFCs Perfluorocarbons

Perfluorocarbon products and applications

This definition is covering the most common commercial PFC gases and liquids with boiling points up to 56°C even though there are other PFCs compounds, mainly used in closed system heat transfer applications.

PFC gases and liquids are traditionally used in several electronics industry processes ranging from semiconductor front-end manufacturing, IC-components quality control testing to direct contact dielectric cooling of e.g. power electronics assembly.

With the phase-out of ozone-depleting substances, PFCs have been introduced into extremely specialised, high demanding applications only. This low level of conversion is based on the condition that PFCs are only selected if ”high-end” performance, system efficiency and worker safety are mandatory as typical market prices are extremely high for these speciality chemicals (>60 Euro/l, due to the high cost manufacturing these compounds e.g. by electrochemical fluorination).

Manufactures and users have a clear understanding of the atmospheric properties of perfluorocarbons. In adhering to product stewardship principles, suppliers provide PFCs only where they are necessary on the basis of performance and safety and uses limit emissions from those applications.

The following segmentation is documenting typical applications for each compound reviewed with emission relevant specifics information:

Reference to the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) and Intl. Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and IPCC guidelines

• PFCs - Applications

• Economic aspects of PFCs Perfluorocarbons

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