Bromofluorocarbon

See also: Halon (disambiguation)

Bromofluorocarbons (BFCs) are molecules based on carbon, bromine, and fluorine. The most common use has traditionally been in fire suppression systems.^[1] The brand name "Halon" is frequently used interchangeably for BFCs. owever, not all Halons are technically BFCs (some contain chlorine also).

A Halon fire suppression system in a U.S. Navy ship's machinery room

Bromotrifluoromethane

BFCs attack the ozone layer even more aggressively than chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs),^[2] and are powerful greenhouse gases, although due to shorter atmospheric lifetimes not as powerful as equivalent perfluorocarbons or chlorofluorocarbons.^[3] Nevertheless, BFCs are still used in some ships and aircraft, because replacements are not as effective. As production of BFCs was banned by the Montreal Protocol,^[1] remaining use depends on old inventories and on recycling.^[4]

BFCs are extremely inert. In a fire, in addition to physically excluding oxygen, the molecules liberate bromine radicals which interfere with combustion reactions. BFCs tend to have higher melting and boiling points than comparable fully fluorinated molecules.