Manufacture of hydrofluorocarbons and hydrofluoroolefins as the CFCs-alternatives: from fundamental of catalytic reaction to commercialization

Abstract

Fluorohydrocarbons including hydrofluorocarbons and hydrofluoroolefins are environment-friendly replacements for chlorofluorocarbons, one kind of ozone-depleting substances. The development and application of catalytic synthesis technologies for fluorohydrocarbon have become an important approach to protect ozone layer, to response climatic change and to fulfill the international environmental conventions. In this paper, the progress on catalytic synthesis technologies for fluorohydrocarbon was summarized on the basis of thirty year’s research of Xi’an Modern Chemistry Research Institute. As the core of synthesis for fluorohydrocarbon, the recent progress of gas-phase catalytic fluorination is reviewed from fundamental research to engineering application, such as reaction mechanism, catalyst preparation, and integration of synthesis technologies. The relative technologies for commercialization and the future technological progress in this field are also briefly analyzed and discussed.