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Home , Fluorocarbon

Key Technology ❷

Starting with the development and manufacture of ●Broad fluorochemicals lineup fluorocarbon, Daikin’s fluoro- Development of chemicals business has spawned Daikin uses fluorite (CaF2) as the raw material for producing a broad a multitude of related products. array of fluorochemicals. These products reflect the diverse qualities of and Fluorocarbon resins its compounds, including low friction force, high and Fluorocarbon resin films Sulfuric acid oil repellency, and resistance Fluorocarbon H2SO4 Fluoroelastomers to heat, weather, chemical and Fluorocarbon Fluoro coatings corrosion. Fluorochemistry Anhydrous hydrofluoric acid monomers Water and oil repellants continues to discover new ways to maximize these properties, HF Fingerprint adherence prevention agents and Daikin’s research engineers Waterproof and damp-proof agents are at work exploring new Etching agents Air conditioners can’t operate without refrigerants. One of Daikin’s competitive Organochloride Mould release agents applications and potential new (chloroform) products. advantages is its fluorochemicals business, which includes refrigerant development. Addition agents This unique development capability sets Daikin apart from other equipment Pharmaceutical intermediates manufacturers. The second installment of “Key Technology” introduces the Fluorocarbon gas Fluorocarbon oils, etc. fluorochemicals business, with a special focus on the commercialization of HFC32 (R32), which has an potential of zero. Types of fluorocarbon and their properties Discovering new potential 80 years after Japan’s first successful manufacture of fluorocarbon gas Type Features and examples Main applications Hydro Fluoro Refrigerant (for refrigerators, industrial Contains hydrogen but not chlorine, cryogenic equipment, automobile air and does not deplete the ozone layer conditioners, room air conditioners, Fluorine has the distinction of being problems with such conventional Daikin began developing fluorocar- HFC HFC-23, 32, 125, 134a, 143a, 152a, etc. packaged air conditioners, etc.), foaming the most reactive of all the elements. natural refrigerants as carbon gas, bon into a new business before World HFC mixed refrigerants: R410A, 407C, agents, cleaning agents, aerosol It oxidizes and forms compounds with ammonia, and methyl chloride. War II. The first application was for 404A propellants. nearly any other element. Fluorine military submarines. In 1935, Daikin compounds bonded with carbon are became the first company to manu- Hydro Chloro Fluoro Carbon Widely used in refrigerants, foaming a highly stable chemical compound facture fluorocarbon in Japan. This Contains chlorine but also hydrogen, agents, cleaning agents, aerosol propel- with high heat, weather, chemical, set off a new wave of development a combination which makes it a lants and other goods, but currently being HCFC and corrosion resistance. which produced a new refrigerant for relatively weak ozone depletion eliminated due to ozone protection laws; substance. some types and application have already What’s more, fluorine’s weak inter- the air conditioner Mifujirator, which HCFC-22, 123, 141b, 142b, etc. been phased out (example: HCFC-141b The development of fluorocar- molecular force means it has a low boasted a higher performance than for urethane foaming agents). bons shifted rapidly away from friction force and , and imports. Mifujirator marked the origin the original CFCs to HCFCs, and a high water and oil repellency. of the air conditioning business and Chloro Fluoro Carbon Previously used in refrigerants, foaming HFCs to help protect the ozone With these properties, fluorocarbon the chemicals business, two pillars of Contains chlorine and has a strong agents, cleaning agents, aerosol propel- layer and prevent global warm- ozone depletion effect. lants and other goods, but production and ing. As Japan’s leading manu- resins and other modern-day Daikin. CFC CFC-11, 12, 113, etc. import into Japan were phased out at the facturer of fluorocarbons, Daikin are widely used in many industries, has anticipated social change to Air conditioning and end of 1995 based on ozone protection from car engine parts and wire coat- spearhead the development of chemical divisions combine expertise laws. ing materials to medicines, clothing, alternative fluorocarbons. into new products semiconductor processing, coatings, and solar cells. “Fluorine compounds Fluorocarbon production surged were resistant to gasoline and heat, internationally in the 1960s. Its ease changed dramatically entering the fluorocarbon, Daikin has actively pur- tion plant in 1999, and after more and they repelled water and oil at the of application made it a popular 1990s. The primary type of fluorocar- sued the development of alternatives. research, geared its development same time,” notes Honorary Officer refrigerant for refrigerators, while new bon, (CFC), was Initial research on next-generation programs towards R32. Hirokazu Aoyama (61), who spent his applications abounded, including its identified as a cause of ozone layer refrigerant alternatives focused on R32 offers many advantages. It has entire career in Daikin’s chemicals Hirokazu Aoyama use as an aerosol propellant. In the depletion, and CFC production was two derivatives of HFC, R32 (CH F ) a GWP one-third that of R401A and Honorary Officer 2 2 business. “These multiple functions In charge of industry-industry, industry-academia, 1950s, Daikin began producing hydro- phased out by 1995. An alternative and R410A. R32 is produced through offers superior energy efficiency. As allowed us to achieve things with industry-government collaborations gen (HF) through the syn- product, Hydro Chloro Fluoro Carbon a reaction between a result, the amount of refrigerant Technology and Innovation Center fluorine that we couldn’t achieve with thesis of fluorite (CaF2) and sulfuric (HCFC), was similarly blamed for and methyl chloride (CH2Cl2). used in equipment can be reduced, any other substance.” Joined Daikin in 1980 and honed his en- acid. The HF was reacted with carbon harmful effects, and developed coun- R410A is a mixed refrigerant made while the heat exchanger and other gineering skills in the Chemicals Business Fluorine was bonded with carbon to tetrachloride (CCl ) to establish a new tries plan to phase out its use by 2020. from R32 and R125. The assess- parts can be made more compact and Unit, Applied Research Department for five 4 create fluorocarbons used as refriger- years before studying abroad at University method of mass-producing fluorocar- Currently, industries are adopting ment of R32 was initially mixed, and recyclable. Furthermore, its pressure ants, also known as freon. First devel- of Iowa in the U.S. Returning 18 months bon. Daikin now had a structure to to hydrofluorocarbon products with R410A was instead widely viewed as level and other properties are similar oped in the United States in 1930, later, he was assigned to the Chemicals meet surging demand for fluorocar- ozone depletion potential (ODP) of the likely successor to HCFC. The to those of R410A, making it possible Business Unit, No. 2 R&D Department. freon posed no harm to humans, was bon. zero. main obstacle to R410A was its high to introduce R32 without replacing From 2010, he served as the director of the colorless, odorless, and nonflammable. Chemicals R&D Center. He assumed his The business environment sur- Amid these trends, as a lead- (GWP). facilities designed for equipment using It was an ideal solution to various current position from 2017. rounding the use of fluorocarbon ing Japanese manufacturer of Daikin built Japan’s first R32 produc- R410A. Although flammability was

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