difluoromethaan

Difluoromethaan, or difluoromethane, is a fluorinated hydrocarbon with the chemical formula CH2F2. It is a colorless gas at room temperature and is widely used in refrigeration as the refrigerant known as R-32. In addition to its use in air conditioning and heat pump systems, it may appear in other industrial applications as part of refrigerant blends designed to lower overall global warming potential.

Physically, difluoromethane has a boiling point of about −52 °C, so it is gaseous at ambient conditions. It is relatively inert chemically, with limited solubility in water. Safety classifications commonly describe it as having low acute toxicity, while its flammability is considered mild in safety standards (A2L category for certain refrigerants), meaning that it can pose flammability risks under specific conditions and requires proper handling, ventilation, and leak detection in facilities.

Production and occurrence are primarily industrial, involving synthetic fluorination processes to produce the difluoromethane molecule for refrigerant supply chains. The main commercial use is as a refrigerant, where its moderate energy efficiency and lower global warming potential relative to some older refrigerants have made it a popular choice in modern systems, often as part of blends that aim to reduce environmental impact.

Environmental impact: difluoromethane is a greenhouse gas with a global warming potential significantly higher than carbon dioxide over a standard time horizon. Its use in refrigerants is regulated in many regions, with ongoing efforts to minimize emissions, improve containment, and substitute with lower-GWP alternatives where feasible. Proper handling and leak prevention are important to reduce its climate effects.