| There has been much in the news lately that concerns | | | | Freon, but lacked the capacity to produce it in the large |
| the global demand for fluorochemicals. What exactly is | | | | quantities that were in demand, turned it over to |
| a fluorochemical and what is all the fuss about? | | | | DuPont in a joint venture they called Kinetic Chemicals. |
| Defining a fluorochemical is a bit like going to a | | | | DuPont took the Freon and ran with it, developing uses |
| Chemistry 101 lecture in college. The simple term is "a | | | | in aerosols, cleaning agents and an aid for foam |
| chemical compound containing fluorine, especially a | | | | blowing. |
| fluorocarbon". Okay. My next question is still, what is a | | | | Another great discovery that came from the DuPont |
| fluorochemical? Googling fluorochemical doesn't help | | | | researchers and helped to further the allure of |
| much either. My next attempt led me to "an organic | | | | fluorochemicals was Teflon. Teflon is an extremely |
| compound in which the majority of the hydrogen | | | | inert material that can stand up to most acids and |
| atoms directly attached to carbon atoms have been | | | | corrosive chemicals. One of the greatest advantages |
| replaced by fluorine". Well, I thought, now we're getting | | | | to using it is that it can stay solid at temperature |
| somewhere! Digging further, I was educated with this | | | | markedly higher than any other plastic developed |
| definition: "a manmade, petroleum-based compound | | | | before. Teflon first came to the forefront during World |
| where fluorine atoms have been substituted in place of | | | | War II when it was used to coat nose cones on |
| hydrogen atoms. In the paper industry fluorochemicals | | | | artillery fuses. It also became famous for being a part |
| are coated onto or added into paper fibers to provide | | | | of the clandestine research that went on during the |
| oil and grease resistance". All this led me to the | | | | Manhattan Project because of its ability to stand up to |
| question, "What is fluorine?" Now, it seems, I was | | | | the corrosiveness of producing Uranium. Leaving the |
| getting somewhere. | | | | world of defense, the early 1960s brought Teflon's |
| Fluorine is a pale yellow, gaseous, non-metallic element | | | | biggest market ever with the development of using it |
| with an atomic number of 9. It is pungent, poisonous, | | | | as a non-stick coating on pots and pans. |
| corrosive and highly reactive and will unite directly with | | | | In the 1970s, DuPont continued its research into the |
| almost all the other elements. Items such as metals, | | | | world of fluorochemicals and developed high grade |
| glass, ceramics, carbon and even water will burn in | | | | plastics that would go into the production of aluminum |
| fluorine with a bright flame. It occurs naturally as the | | | | siding for home building, manufacturing of wire insulation, |
| minerals fluorite and cryolite. When combined with | | | | and as an important part of the sealant market. Also in |
| certain other elements, such as hydrogen to make | | | | the 1970s, research began to show that there was a |
| hydrogen fluoride, it can be used in etching glass. | | | | connection between a form of fluorochemicals known |
| Fluorine also combines with other elements to make up | | | | as chlorofluorocarbons and the damage they were |
| Freon, which was widely used as a refrigerant. Fluorine | | | | doing to the ozone. DuPont stood up and took a stand |
| and its related compounds are now used in producing | | | | against harming the environment and began the |
| uranium and more than 100 commercial | | | | phasing out of the harmful chemicals. Their research |
| fluorochemicals, including many high-temperature | | | | and development department since has come up with |
| plastics. Fluorine in its soluble state known as fluoride | | | | a new, safer propellant for aerosols that is not harmful |
| can be carefully added to drinking water to prevent | | | | to the environment. They have also continued to run |
| tooth decay. In its elemental state, fluorine is being | | | | an environmentally responsible company by helping to |
| studied for use as a rocket propellant because it has | | | | develop ways to keep pollutants out of the |
| such a high "specific impulse rate" or SIR. In laymen's | | | | atmosphere. |
| terms, this is a way to describe the efficiency of | | | | So, by painstakingly defining the word fluorochemicals, |
| rocket and jet engines - the higher the SIR, the less | | | | finding their link between the element fluorine and then |
| propellant is needed to gain a given amount of | | | | tracing it to a number of developments that have been |
| momentum. All this could lead to making more | | | | created in the last 80 years, it has finally become clear |
| propellant efficient rockets. Once I learned this about | | | | why there actually is a worldwide demand for these |
| fluorine, I truly was back in Chemistry class, but with a | | | | chemicals. Countries that were once considered Third |
| little bit clearer view of what fluorochemicals actually | | | | World are now viewed as "developing" countries with |
| are. | | | | a growing economy and a burning desire to enter the |
| By taking a look at DuPont, a worldwide renowned | | | | 21st century as viable and competitive in the world of |
| chemical production company, it is clearer still why the | | | | business and finance. In order to do this, the potential of |
| global demand for fluorochemicals is on the rise. | | | | fluorochemicals to help industrialize these developing |
| DuPont has sponsored research into the field of | | | | countries is coming to light as rising income levels and |
| manufacturing fluorochemicals since the 1930s, when | | | | more advanced manufacturing indicate a growing |
| General Motors, who had discovered the wonders of | | | | economy. |