Appearance Colorless gas | ||
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1,1,1,3,3,3-Hexafluoropropane is an organic chemical, an organofluoride. It is a colorless gas, usually available in the form of a liquid gas. It is used as a fire suppression agent, a foaming agent, a highly effective refrigerant, a heat transfer medium, a dielectric gas, a sterilant carrier, a polymerization medium, a carrier fluid, a displacement drying agent, a thermodynamic power cycle working fluid, etc.
When used as a fire suppressant, hexafluoropropane carries the DuPont trade name, FE-36.
1,1,1,3,3,3-Hexafluoropropane is a greenhouse gas; its global warming potential is 6300.
It is manufactured by reacting 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexachloropropane with hydrogen fluoride in gas phase at temperature between 250-400 °C, in presence of a catalyst in the form of trivalent chromium (e.g. chromium(III) chloride) supported on carbon with low content of specific impurities.