# Fluorochemicals and refrigerants

Refrigerant gases (HCFC-22, HFC-32, HFC-134a, HFOs) and fluorinated building blocks made from HF; quota-controlled under Kigali and a big Indian profit pool.

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fluoro_intermediates/

Fine chemicals · Other fine chemicals · No. 101

- Product family
- Feedstock: Minerals and salts
- about 2.5-3 Mt of fluorocarbons a year (indicative, basis: about 1.65 Mt HF to fluorocarbons at about 0.5-0.8 t HF per t product)
- 545 t CO₂e per t
- HS 290349, 290341
 Fine chemicals · Other fine chemicals · Foundation · Matter

The gas in your air conditioner is rationed by global treaty, and China holds over 80% of the world's quotas.

Chart: Illustration: Fluorochemicals and refrigerants

##### Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

Fluorspar and sulphuric acid make HF, which replaces chlorine in chloroform or methylene chloride; a tonne of R32 needs about 0.77 t of HF.

##### Three things to know

1. HFC-23, a by-product of R22 with a warming power of about 14,700 times CO2, was still emitted at 14.0 Gg in 2023.
2. Stationary air conditioning takes about 35% of fluorocarbons, mostly R32, R410A and R22.
3. India freezes HFCs in 2028 under Kigali, and SRF is building a 20 kt a year HFO plant in Odisha.

##### The journey

1. 1 **Fluorspar**About 2.1 t mined spar per t HF
2. 2 **HF acid**Made with sulphuric acid in kilns
3. 3 **Fluorination**HF swaps chlorine in chlorinated hydrocarbons
4. 4 **Refrigerant gases**R32, R134a, R125, HFOs in cylinders
5. 5 **Cooling**Air conditioners, cars, supermarket fridges

##### Go deeper pick a tab to open it in full

## Other sections

- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fluoro_intermediates/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fluoro_intermediates/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fluoro_intermediates/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fluoro_intermediates/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fluoro_intermediates/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fluoro_intermediates/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fluoro_intermediates/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fluoro_intermediates/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fluoro_intermediates/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fluoro_intermediates/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fluoro_intermediates/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fluoro_intermediates/links/index.md)