Skip to main content
HCFC

HCFC

6.8
A chemical used in fridges and spray cans that damages the ozone layer less than older chemicals
  • noun
  • /ˌeɪtʃ si ɛf si/
  • Specialized
translation icon : HCFC
  • Regulations are being put in place to gradually phase out the use of HCFCs around the world.
  • hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs)
  • HCFCs and CFCs
  • replacing HCFCs

Examples

  • The current HCFC candidates to replace CFC-11 in commercial chillers are HCFC-123 and HCFC-134a.

    Academic text (1993)
  • Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) are second-generation chemical relatives of CFCs.

    Academic text (1991)
  • Starting in 1996, the use of HCFCs has been scheduled to end as well.

    Academic text (2007)
  • "Developing countries have no current HCFC reduction schedule, except for termination on January 1, 2040," he said.

    Academic text (2007)
  • Recent studies indicate that HCFCs may remain in the stratosphere approximately fifty percent longer than originally predicted.

    Academic text (1991)
  • The HCFCs contain chlorine and therefore are still ozone-depleting substances.

    Academic text (1998)
  • There are medical, national security, and aviation safety exceptions to the CFC and HCFC bans, but these exceptions are very specific, and each has a threshold limit.

    Academic text (1991)
  • Among several groups of alternatives, two—the hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and the hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)—are the most useful.

    Academic text (1998)
  • Many air conditioning units use HCFCs because they are less damaging to the ozone layer than CFCs.

  • Several companies are transitioning away from HCFCs to more environmentally friendly refrigerants.

Synonyms

hydrochlorofluorocarbon
vsHCFC
  • Specialized
9.9

A gas used in fridges and spray cans that harms the ozone layer less than older chemicals

is the abbreviated form used instead of the full chemical name

How Ozone-Damaging

CFC
  • Specialized
10 4.2
HCFC
  • Specialized
6.8
HFC
  • Specialized
1 6.9

Surface Forms

HCFC singular
HCFCs plural

Morphology

HCFC = H + C + F + C

HCFC is an initialism formed from the initials of a technical compound name and is not analyzable into productive English morphemes that would allow a learner to infer its meaning.

Etymology

HCFC is a chemical abbreviation made from hydro- meaning 'hydrogen', chloro- meaning 'chlorine', fluoro- meaning 'fluorine' and -carbon meaning 'carbon'. So an HCFC is a refrigerant named for the atoms it contains and is like CFC but with hydrogen added, which helps make it less harmful to the ozone layer.