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