US EPA

1919745 

Journal Article 

The Thermal Decomposition of Tetrafluoroethylene 

Atkinson, B; Atkinson, VA 

1957 

Yes 

Journal of the Chemical Society
ISSN: 0368-1769 

NIOSH/00128088 

pages 2086 

2086-2094 

The thermal decomposition of various fluorocarbons was investigated. Samples of tetrafluoroethylene (116143) (TCE), perfluoroethane (76164) (PFE), perfluoropropene (116154) (PFP), perfluorocyclobutane (115253) (PFCB), and perfluoroisobutene (382218) (PFIB) were pyrolyzed in nickel and stainless containers at low (300 to 550 degrees), medium (550 to 650 degrees), and high (650 to 750 degrees) temperatures. Resulting products were identified by infrared analysis. At tempertures above 550 degrees, a TCE equilibrium mixture decomposed to produce PFP, which in turn decomposed to yield PFIB. The reaction was first order for PFP, and 1.5 for PFIB. PFB decomposed at temperatures above 700 degrees to form PFE by first order kinetics. The authors suggest that reactions producing PFP involve an intermediate difluoromethylene radical, while those producing PFIB involve an intermediate trifluoromethyl radical.