Commercializing a Low Global Warming Potential Refrigerant

Regulations enacted in Europe in the mid-2000’s requiring a low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerant in mobile air conditioning applications had industry racing to develop a replacement for the incumbent HFC-134a.  This presented a challenge to not only identify, test, and qualify a next generation refrigerant, but also to develop and commercialize processes to manufacture it under a very aggressive schedule.  Using innovative product and process development, Chemours successfully introduced Opteon® yf within 7 years of the directive and was the first bulk producer of HFO-1234yf which has a GWP of less than 1.  This poster describes the journey from initial candidate evaluation to market acceptance to commercialization of Opteon® yf focusing on the process development for world’s the first large scale bulk manufacturing facility.  Further innovations to meet increasing demand as use of HFO-1234yf around the world ramps up will also be presented.